Trapped
by 1Past and Present1
Summary: Injured and confused, Zoey finds herself trapped in a desolate warehouse with a powerful Witch holding her captive. But why? Why does this Witch keep her alive? Perhaps something even more powerful than hunger has taken over. Perhaps... loneliness?
1. Chapter 1

**Trapped**

During a routine scavenger hunt for supplies, Zoey wanders upon an abandoned warehouse which she decides to explore, unintentionally stumbling into the hiding place of a powerful solitary Witch who, against her instincts, allows Zoey to live and takes a shine to the human girl.

As the two slowly grow to know each other, Zoey's perception of the Infected completely changes and she begins to develop a reluctant affection for the frightening creature that holds her captive, in turn satisfying a deep need for company within the lonely Witch.

Zoey's sudden disappearance does not go unnoticed outside, however. Her team on the surface are restless with worry and initiate a search and rescue mission to find their missing comrade. Their principle at this point: shoot to kill.

The Witch, sensing the danger these humans pose and knowing that they wish to take her Zoey away for good, will go to any lengths necessary to keep her 'family'.

Even if it means killing.

Read, review and enjoy! I plan on making this thing about ten chapters long if I get some good responses from the crowd, so tell me whether this should be carried on or dumped. Your view matters!

Oh, and just a side note, this isn't going to be a weird romance fic. Or, if that's what you guys want, then I can always aim for that. Tell me in a review!

Thanks.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Scrap. Nothing but scrap._

I grunt irritably, brushing ash off my jeans as I wade through knee high debris in search of anything that might prove useful to my team. There is, as usual, nothing to be found.

_No matter where I search, I always find the same thing. Junk, crap, useless trash. There aren't even intact cigarettes anymore. Why I bother listening to Bill and wasting my time with these pointless searches, I don't know._

Sifting through the litter, I pick up a bent beer can and sigh, tossing it aside. "Crap yet again. I'm on a roll over here."

I rise to my feet again and move on to a new spot, absentmindedly stroking the hilt of my gun as it sits snugly in its holster, rubbing against my hip whenever I walk. I sort of enjoy the feeling. It comforts me to know that I have an instrument of death at hand to blow out some zombie's brains if he decides to leap out at me from the dark. Or limp after me, whatever.

I pause in mid step when something in the corner of my vision catches my attention, turning to glance at a desolate warehouse across the street. _Maybe there'll be something I can salvage in there. It's worth a look. There's no way I'll find anything useful out here._

Pulling my gun from its holster, I glance at both ends of the street before quietly making my way forward. It's better to be safe than sorry at this point.

After a few moments of checking for danger, I finally reach the partially collapsed warehouse. The main entrance is caved in completely, so I know I will have to find another route inside. Annoying.

Slowly walking around the length of the building to check for any broken sections of wall, I spot a low window to the right side. There's my answer. _It's not ideal, but it will do._

As I approach the window, I notice the glass is completely shattered, leaving only a few shards intact. Something, or someone, might have already broken in before me. This is reason for both caution and disappointment. _Great. If some Infected crawled its way inside, it could still be in there. Or, some other scavenger might have taken all the good stuff for himself and used this window as an exit._

Either way, I'm going to check for myself. I don't scare easy.

Carefully and as silently as possible, I slip through the window and drop onto the floor in a crouched position, my gun pressed closely to my chest as I glance around for danger. There's nothing to be found in this dark room, so I move on, quietly trampling over shards of glass as I move.

I am surprised to find that a couple of the lights in this place are still working, casting eerie yellow light over me as I wander past. On either side of me there are plain wooden doors leading to other rooms. I reach out to open one, but stop when I notice the deep, savage claw marks imbedded in its surface.

"Shit," I whisper, amazed. "What son of a bitch could have done this much damage?"

I lean inward to get a closer look, running a finger curiously against the imbedded scratches. _Could a Witch have done this? Yeah, they're dangerous, but this is just scary. It looks like someone tried to break this door down with an axe..._

I take a step back and sigh shakily. _Let's hope that whatever it was isn't here anymore. I really would rather not be zombie chow._

I turn to move on when a sudden movement in the dark makes me twist around instinctively, pointing my gun forward, toward the dark room with the shattered window. I can hear soft crunching and growling in the dark, the hairs on my neck standing on edge as I remain dead still, expecting something to charge at me from within the shadows.

Strangely, nothing comes. Just silence.

I back away slowly, not convinced. "Come on, bastard. Show yourself..."

As if on cue, a soft snivelling meets my ears and a shape stirs again, accompanied by a strange scratching sound as if something were being dragged across the floor.

I rest my finger a little more snugly against the trigger of my pistol, my eyes following the movement along with the barrel of my gun. I know from personal experience that when you suspect you're being stalked, you usually are.

A loud howling startles me as a ragged figure suddenly bursts from the darkness, swinging a rusted butcher's knife as it half runs, half limps toward me with startling speed.

I pull the trigger and fire a single bullet at the Infected's chest, throwing it a couple of feet backward.

It groans, clutching at its bleeding chest before lunging at me again, swiping its knife toward my face.

I fire another round, this time in the shoulder, making the creature drop its weapon with a scream before falling to its knees in a whimpering heap.

I give it the chance to slowly rise back to its feet, my lips curving into a small smile. "I get such a rush from killing you bastards. I guess I'm going crazy too, eh?" My finger tightens over the trigger slightly. _Yep, I'm insane. But not as insane as Francis._

The Infected gives me a hateful glare, hissing. It takes a step toward me, but pauses, its red eyes slowly moving away from my face to stare over my shoulder, as if watching something that was standing just behind me.

I frown, confused by this strange action. _Whoa, this isn't normal behaviour. I wonder what- _

A raspy growl from behind me makes my blood turn cold, cutting off my thoughts. "Oh shit..."

My eyes widen in surprise as thick, gooey saliva dribbles onto my shoulder and down the front of my shirt, unseen teeth brushing lightly against my neck. Oh shit indeed.

The Infected, blood still leaking from its chest, seems to shiver and take an almost apprehensive step backward, obviously intimidated by whatever it is that stands behind me.

The monster behind me hisses, a claw slowly sliding over my shoulder almost as if to acknowledge my presence. It's heavy and cold to the touch, almost like a steel blade. I can safely assume that this was the cause for the horrific damage done to the door that I had previously inspected.

Now I can imagine those claws ripping into flesh instead of wood...

Suddenly, the Infected with a bullet in its chest howls and lunges toward me, swiping at the air to land random blows with its knife.

I feel the creature behind me tense slightly, taking hold of my arm in a sharp, painful grip between its massive claws before yanking me roughly aside and out of harm's way.

I cry out as my head hits against a wall, my body dropping limply to the floor. I touch my forehead and groan, seeing blood on the tips of my fingers. _Shit! Shit! Shit!_

A gruesome ripping sound draws my attention and I twist around, my eyes widening with horror at the scene playing before me.

The infected I had attempted to kill moments before lets off an agonised scream, clutching at the bloody stump of one of its arms, the remains now lying on the floor in a puddle of blood.

The other Infected creature, distinctly female, takes a swipe at the weaker infected, her claws easily carving through its chest to leave deep, bloody gashes behind. Witch, definitely, but unlike any I had ever seen before.

The first infected topples backwards, hitting the adjacent wall with a soft thud. It then shrieks, stabbing its knife into the Witch's shoulder in retaliation.

She hisses angrily, gripping her prey by the throat to slam it violently into the wall, the crunching sound of ribs shattering as she continually pounds her victim against the concrete.

Finally, when the Infected is merely a limp body in her claws, she strikes again, decapitating it in one graceful motion. She then lets the body fall heavily to the ground, watching its severed head roll slowly into the darkness, almost comically.

I stare at the carnage with my mouth hanging wide open, shuffling backward so that my back presses against the solidness of the wall behind me. Wincing, I feel the pain in my head escalate and my vision begins to blur, objects becoming unrecognisable as I feel myself slowly fall asleep. "Oh... shit..."

The last thing I see is the Witch slowly turn toward me and crouch, her claws reaching toward my face as if to tap me awake.

But I'm already long gone.

* * *

That's Chapter 1! What do you guys think? I quite enjoyed it so far.

Be gentle, please. This is my first zombie-type story posted, so I am a little new at this. If anybody wants to message me, feel free! Also, I live for suggestions and ideas, so dish them out.

Thanks you and God bless!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Well, the responses I received for Chapter 1 have been wonderful so far, so I am indeed going to make this a full length story. Thank you! Reviewers make the world go round, after all.

Now, on with the story! Enjoy, folks.

* * *

_Ow... my head... why does it hurt so much? Why... I can't think straight... it's so cold..._

I shiver as something cool and wet caresses my aching forehead gently. It's slimy and strange, almost ticklish, but the cold wetness is unbelievably soothing as it creeps across my skin. I smile slightly, turning away and giggling dazedly. "No... stop it, Bill... that tickles... you're so naughty..."

The soft grunt I receive as a reply startles me, causing a small shiver of fear to ripple up my stiff spine. It's deep, rough and throaty, so unlike any human voice I know.

That isn't Bill.

My eyes snap open and widen in horror, locking gaze with the glowing crimson eyes of another, so close to my own. "Who... what?!" _Shit! What is this?!_

In my moment of stunned silence, my eyes timidly search the face above mine, trying to find any signs of humanity, any signs of sanity that can contradict the unearthly quality of those eyes.

What I see is enough to scare even the ever invincible Chuck Norris.

Those red eyes, so emotionless and dark, are deeply set within a sunken grey face. Lips, blacker than night, are parted to reveal savage fangs and a long, glistening tongue dripping with gluey saliva that creeps closer toward my forehead in quick, whip like movements before gently, precisely, brushing against the wound to create the same pleasurable sensation as before.

"Oh... shit," I whisper, feeling beads of sweat gather on the back of my neck. I know that face. I remember now.

The Witch I had seen before is HERE.

And now, she's licking my forehead.

And worst of all... it feels really NICE...

I scream in horror as the realisation sets in, startling her enough that she leaps away from where I lie, taking a defensive crouched position a few meters away, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she hisses warningly.

I stumble to my feet in alarm but cry at the shooting headache that hits me, forcing me onto my knees. I instinctively reach toward my holster for my pistol, only to find it empty. "Shit! FRANCIS! BILL!"

The Witch tilts hear head curiously to one side and grunts, watching with a stunned expression as I feebly attempt to crawl away. She relaxes significantly and stands back up, realising that I am no threat in my current condition.

"Get away from me!" I scream as she slowly approaches me, pressing myself against iron shelves stacked with tools kept in wooden crates. I grab one nearest me and toss it toward her feet, spilling hammers and screwdrivers across the ground in an effort to scare her off. "Don't touch me! I'll kill you!"

She pauses, frowning slightly. Her claws, longer than I have ever seen on any Witch before, twitch slightly. She takes a careful step over the tools and bends down slightly, lowering her face a little closer to mine while still maintaining respectful distance.

"Grrrr," she manages to grunt before extending a claw, tapping my shoulder pointedly, as if saying something. Her claw, so light against my skin, then moves slightly toward my neck where it rubs gently, tenderly, soothingly.

"GET AWAY!" I smack the claw away, yelping in pain as it easily nicks the skin on my fingertips and draws blood. I stare at my wounded hand with a mixture of shock and sorrow, my eyes stinging with unshed tears of terror. _Why does this shit ALWAYS happen to ME? I don't deserve this! What have I ever done wrong? Francis is the asshole, not ME!_

The Witch, now silent, pulls away slightly and bites her lip. She then shyly reaches forward again, running a claw delicately across my cheeks in slow, stroking movements. Her eyes, slightly downcast, seem almost apologetic.

I frown slightly, unused to the docile gentleness this creature displays toward me, a human. It goes against the nature of Infected. Witches are the most savage of their kind, and the most dangerous.

But then why is this Witch so different?

Her claws are definitely the product of evolution, and her skin is darker than the others, probably tougher. That tongue of hers is also unusually long, perhaps a feeding adaptation.

But what puzzles me the most is her behaviour. Why does she seem so gentle in nature, so affectionate? I saw how she easily slaughtered that lesser Infected before, so I know she's more than capable of killing a small female human like myself.

And yet... she doesn't.

Glancing at the room around me, I realise that shortly after blacking out before, she must have carried me here. It's not the hall I was in before. It seems to be a large storage room with metal shelves, some overturned and others half crushed, scattered in rows around me.

Then another thought comes to my mind.

Her tongue... she was licking my head wound like a doctor dabs a sick patient's head to soothe pain and inflammation. This means that not only is this Witch docile and seemingly friendly, she also has intelligence that surpasses her kind, perhaps even greater than the crafty Hunter.

I turn back to her and swallow, shivering beneath her touch, allowing her to explore my face out of fear. _I'm in no position to argue here. She probably thinks she saved my life before, when I was fighting that other Infected. She saw him preparing to strike, and threw me aside in an effort to save my skin. How extraordinary... but why?_

The Witch, still shy, gives me an almost cute side-glance, lowering her head timidly and whimpering. She gently withdraws her hands and lets them drop to her sides before taking a step backward, shrinking slowly away to sit on the floor a short distance away, still facing me.

"Okay," I whisper, slowly rising to my feet. _She's waiting for something. What? Am I supposed to speak?_

She growls softly and tilts her head to one side, tapping the concrete with her bladelike claws as if urging me on. What she wants, I don't know.

But I feel some explanations are in order.

"Uh, so..." I try to keep my voice casual as she watches me, her gaze expectant. "You must have been surprised to find a human wandering around in your home, since I presume this is your lair."

She snorts, tapping her claws a little louder. Seems like I'm on the right track so far.

"Well, I can explain." I blush, rubbing the back of my neck as I sit down again, closer to her than before. "You see, me and my human friends are kind of in need of some supplies and so, being the idiot I usually am, I decided that this creepy looking warehouse would be the perfect place to explore. Then that infected dude came and I was kicking his ass, but you snuck up behind me and... well, you know the rest."

She almost seems to raise a brow at my brief explanation, not convinced.

"It's the truth!" I raise my hands defensively and chuckle, trying to seem offhand. Inside, I'm crapping myself. "I had total control of the situation, you know. You didn't have to rescue me back there."

She grunts and inclines her head, her shaggy white hair covering a section of her face like a messy teenager.

I smirk slightly, brushing a black strand of my own hair aside and tucking it neatly behind my ear. "Well, considering you're an Infected and I'm a human, I think we're getting along quite nicely. Got a name, kid?"

She remains mute, almost motionless as she stares at me.

"Uh... can you talk at least? You know, 'Blah blah blah?'" I wave my arms for emphasis, sighing when all I receive for my efforts is a puzzled look. "Okay, so you can't. Great."

She sighs and looks away, seemingly bored by the way she shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head. I can imagine her thinking, _Crazy-ass human girl. Pfft!_

"Oh, so now the truth comes out." I grin, shuffling a little closer. "You think I'm a crazy, stupid little human girl who blabbers on about blah blah blah like an idiot. I guess you're right about that one."

She turns back to me and snorts, almost smiling.

"Oh, so that's the way it is! Here I was thinking you rescued me out of infatuation with my good looks, meanwhile you only stepped into the brawl because it was in your territory and you could tell that I'm a dumbass with no chance of survival." I fold my arms and sigh, turning away in mock shame. "How mean."

She nods her head and grunts, shrugging as if to say, 'Well hey, I said you were stupid.'

I chuckle softly to myself, slowly rising to my feet and turning toward a door at the far end of the room, preparing to leave. "Anyway, I should probably be going soon, Witch. Thanks for the hospitality and everything, but my friends will be missing me and-"

Like being struck by lightning, she easily leaps past me and crouches in the doorway, blocking the exit like a grey gargoyle. Her eyes, not longer soft, hold a dangerous sparkle in them that makes me take a frightened step backward, bumping into a shelf and toppling it over, scattering tools and crates everywhere.

I grab a nearby hammer and twist back to face her, yelping in surprise as she charges toward me with alarming speed and grabs me by the front of my shirt, lifting me easily into the air. "Put me down! HEY!"

She hisses, grabbing the hammer right out of my hand as I swing it toward her head, wrenching from my fingers before discarding it to the floor. She then pulls me against her face and utters a low growl, her eyes burning into mine.

"Please," I beg, struggling against her crushing grip as her other hand clamps over my throat, her claws sinking into my soft skin. "Please... don't..."

She remains still for a while, her angry eyes narrowed, hissing and growling. Her claws are so painful against my throat, so harsh and cruel.

"I guess you're the same as the rest of them," I whisper, closing my tearing eyes, no longer struggling. "You're as much a monster as the rest of your kind."

She twitches against me, her growls abruptly ceasing and her grip on my throat loosening slightly.

I open my eyes and stare into hers, surprised by what I see.

She's no longer angry. Instead, she seems mournful, even a little ashamed. Her eyes, open wide with horror, hold no aggression. With a soft moan, she slowly and very gently lowers me to the floor and touches my face, trying to soothe the pain.

I push her away, struggling over the tools to get to the door.

She doesn't stop me. She just stands there, forlorn, watching me leave with regretful eyes.

I cast her one final look before breaking into a run, rushing through the corridor lined with doors, not even caring to pick up my pistol that lies discarded on the floor by my feet.

I just run.

I practically leap through the broken window in the dark room, not caring to be silent anymore. I charge across the street and down the dark alleyway I had previously been scavenging in, desperate to bury myself in the comforting arms of my teammates.

But even in my stupor, I do not fail to notice a soft growling behind me.

I freeze, twisting around to gaze into the darkness behind me. I reach for my pistol, cursing myself when I realise I had left it behind. "Shit! Why am I such an ass?"

A dark, hooded figure steps into view before me, seeming to materialise from the surrounding darkness. His red eyes twinkle with cruel mischief as he slowly advances toward me, his teeth bared in a cruel smile.

"Human," he whispers, his smile broadening.

"Hunter," I whisper back, pressing myself against a wall in fear. I glance around for anything I may use as a weapon, but there is nothing within reach.

I'm screwed.

The Hunter laughs, crouching down in preparation to attack. His posture, like a coiled spring, radiates energy and excitement. He lives to kill.

I clench my fists and step forward, trying to look as large and threatening as possible. "Alright, bitch..." _I won't die a coward. Sure, I'm a dumbass. But I'm not a coward._

He roars, throwing himself toward me like a panther, his arms outstretched to grab my throat, moving like a bullet through the air.

My body tenses, preparing for the blow. I ready my fist for a good swing, but a grey shape beside me makes me pause.

I watch in stunned amazement as the Witch throws herself in the line of fire, catching the Hunter as he slams himself against her. Then, in one swift, fluid movement, she smashes him face first into the concrete, the sound of a muffled cry and crunching bones not deterring her at all.

My jaw drops.

He was killed instantly.

She stays still for a moment, giving the motionless Hunter a careful look-over before turning back to me, smiling slightly. She extends a claw to caress my face, then slowly leans forward and licks my bleeding neck with her soothing tongue.

"Alright," I whisper, feeling exhaustion mingled with shock take over. "You're not so bad. I think I'm beginning to like you... sort of."

She purrs in response, gently grasping my waist between her claws and lifting me over her shoulder. She then turns and slowly makes her way back to the warehouse, careful not to stir me too much.

I can feel my eyelids grow heavy and the pain in my head is too much.

Everything goes black.

I'm gone again.

* * *

Ta-da! Chapter 2.

As you can see, our Witch has developed quite a liking toward Zoey. I guess Zoey likes her too, reluctantly.

Out of all the monsters in the Left 4 Dead games, the Witch and the Hunter fascinate me the most. The Hunter seems to be quite smart, in his own way, easily ambushing his prey from high rooftops. The Witch, while not displaying much intellect, is far more dangerous in nature.

I mean, one hit from that girl and bam! You're dead. Instant kill.

Also, she's fast. Fast, and crazy.

I remember one time during the game (my brother was playing at the time), we both encountered a Witch for the first time. She was crying, as always, and I was like, "Aw, shame! Maybe we should see if she's okay?"

So, my brother walks up to her to see if maybe she's another survivor and BAM! Game over.

But anyway...

Enjoying the story so far? Tell me your thoughts in a review! It means a lot to me.

Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ah! The reviews just keep coming. Again, thank you! It means so much when I get some positive and/or helpful feedback from the audience.

Well, onward with the story! I hope you guys enjoy it.

* * *

_Oh man... my head feels like there's a hole in it or something... _

I groan, reaching up blindly to feel my throbbing forehead. My eyes, seemingly glued shut from the pain, refuse to open and instead I am forced to remain in the darkness of semi-consciousness. _This is the worst hangover ever._

A soft, happy grunt from above makes me smile slightly in my half sleep. I know that voice.

Using all my strength, I manage to open a sleepy eye and chuckle, my gaze shifting to a gray face hovering near my own. "Hello, you."

The Witch cocks her head to one side in response, gazing over me with thoughtful eyes. Her claws then slowly wander toward my face to cup it tenderly, running a thumb softly across my cheekbone.

I close my eyes and sigh, the pain in my head subsiding significantly beneath her cold touch. "You give zombies a bad name. I can't take you seriously anymore."

She growls, running a claw against the ridge of my nose until it drops to my lips, then finally down to my chin. Her breath beats softly against my face as her face draws closer, eventually touching noses with mine.

I open my eyes again and raise a brow, too tired to refuse her affection. _Someone has some personal space issues. I wonder what Francis would have to say about this... _

Oh shit! My team! I have to get back soon, before Bill starts freaking out again.

With that thought in mind, I force myself to move. I moan as my stiff body slowly raises itself into a sitting position, gently pushing the Witch aside with a hand as I shakily try to stand. Taking my first step in hours, I wince as my legs buckle beneath me, throwing me backward into strong arms that easily break my fall.

I turn to gaze at the Witch for a long, tense moment, obviously surprised. She simply gazes back, her arms wrapped gently around me as she too rises to her feet, helping me catch my balance.

Grunting in my ear, she rests her head softly atop my shoulder and gives me a concerned side-glance, almost as if had too much to drink and needed to be escorted to my car.

"Thank you," I whisper shyly, patting her lightly on the head. "You're not so bad, Fluffy." _Fluffy? Hey, that's not a bad name. Has a nice ring to it... beware the vicious Fluffy, killer of men! Yeah! I should write a comic about it..._

Fluffy, as I now call her, snorts and gently pushes me forward, urging me to take another step while staying close beside me to support my effort.

I feel like a small child as she leads me around the room in wide circles, my cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "Oh man. The guys would have such a laugh if they could see me now."

Fluffy murmurs enthusiastically in my ear and pushes me onward, ignoring my displeasure. She seems intent on getting me moving again.

"Why do you help me so much?" I give her a brief glance as we pass another corner, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder for added support. "I'm not your responsibility. I can leave whenever you-"

She gives me a fierce warning glare and my mouth clamps shut. Bad idea.

"Okay, okay!" I stop my walk and turn to face her, swaying slightly on my feet. "But you can't keep me locked up in here. I'm not a pet."

She narrows her eyes slightly, but obviously gives in and groans, pulling me toward the far door.

"Ah. You're taking me for a walk." I can't help but smile at the foolishness of it all. "This makes me your lapdog now, doesn't it?"

She doesn't respond, but as we make our way through the passage of doors and toward the room with the shattered window, her grip on my waist tightens.

No, I'm not her lapdog.

I'm her prisoner.

* * *

"Come on, Bill. We've been searching all night and there's no sign of her anywhere."

I can feel my anger quickly rise to the surface as Francis throws another pessimistic comment my way, forcing my fingers to clench a little more tightly around my shotgun as I stand watch on a high rooftop. "Shut it, biker. I'm not leaving her behind," I reply gruffly, glancing at the dimly lit streets below. _Where are you, kid? You're scaring the shit out of me!_

"We've got to get moving, Bill," he says with obvious annoyance, running a bloody cloth across the blade of his knife. "She knew the risk she took by scavenging alone at night. I think she's likely Hunter chow by now."

I ignore the biker and continue to pace the length of the rooftop, my eyes narrowing as I gaze into the horizon. It's a beautiful sunrise, but with having Zoey gone missing last night, things just aren't the same. I can't enjoy it. That girl keeps me sane.

Finally, Francis sighs, getting up from his makeshift chair of boxes to stand beside me, placing a rough hand on my shoulder. "Now look, Chief. I know you liked that girl. We all did, even me. But we've just got to face the facts..."

I close my eyes and sigh, sorely tempted to blow his head off. "I've told you a hundred times before, and I'm going to tell you again. We do not leave one of our own behind, no matter the circumstance. She's probably just a little lost and-"

"Oh please, man! She knows this city better than any of us." Francis folds his muscular arms and grunts, raising a brow. "Are you sure you told her to meet us back here after dark? Didn't leave anything out in your old age?"

"No. I remember clearly." I cast him a hard glare and mutter a soft curse under my breath, playing with a toothpick between my teeth. "And even if I hadn't, she wouldn't have stayed out all night. I sent her mid evening and she's been gone since then, and it's dawn already. She's never gone more than a couple of hours."

"Which means she's probably dead." Francis shrugs his shoulders and sighs, stepping aside before I get the chance to punch his tattooed face. "But if you want to waste more time in this Godforsaken city looking for some foolish girl, fine. I'll just go tell Louise to stock up on those pills he likes to keep to himself. I'm going to need them."

I watch him go silently, not bothering to comment. After his head disappears down a flight of stairs leading from the roof, I turn back to resume my watch, growing steadily edgier by the minute. _If she's still missing in two hours, I'm going to broaden our search and try downtown. I'll leave Louse here in case she turns up again. I just pray she's alright._

If anything happens to that girl...

It's all my fault.

* * *

Well, there's Chapter 3. Enjoy?

By the way, I had no idea what to call the Witch. Fluffy was meant to be a joke, since she's unusually 'cute' and does have messy hair, but I was actually going to call her something like Shredder. It just doesn't fit her personality though...

So, Fluffy it is (for this chapter, at least).

Review, please! Any ideas are welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Sorry about the unusually late update, folks, but I'm having computer issues and I also went away for the holidays, so my writing has been on hold. Better late than never, right?

Anyway, I finally bring you Chapter 4! I hope you all enjoy this update.

Oh, one more thing- I made the zombies/Infected creatures capable of speech in this story just so that they seem a little more sadistic and intelligent, rather than just growling and limping around like wounded, mindless animals. If anyone has ideas for future plot twists, send them to me! Librarian00X gave me the inspiration for this chapter and pointed out a spelling error in the last one, so big thanks to you!

Have a cookie. ;)

* * *

_What am I going to do now?_

I give my companion a nervous glance as she weaves her way through knee-high debris and ash, cutting a deep a path for me to follow. Often she will pause and wait for me to catch up, glancing over her shoulder to see if I am still following.

Indeed I am. And I'm regretting every moment of it.

_What am I doing? Why am I following her? I should run while her back is turned!_

A flashback of the previous Hunter incident however makes me shove those thoughts aside. Regardless of how desperately I wish to reunite with my team, I am dead meat out there without some sort of protection.

And Fluffy is my protection. Wherever she goes, I must go. I'll just have to be patient and sit tight until she strays too near to our current safe house, then I'll run for it. If she follows, my team can dispatch her with some kickass firepower and-

I freeze in mid step at the thought, a feeling of fear and horror hitting me like a sword to the gut. _This is my plan? To kill her? Am I that heartless?_

As if on cue, she again stops her walk and slowly turns to face me, her red eyes twinkling with a familiar, friendly warmth and her lips curved in that same playful smile.

I want to kill this creature...

Who really is the monster here? Me, the human girl terrified for her own survival, or this Infected creature who saved my life?

I close my eyes and moan, another splitting headache reminding me of the previous day's events. _Shit. I've already grown attached to that creature. If I leave, she'll probably go all forlorn and suicidal. I wouldn't have this problem if I wasn't so damn cute..._

A soft grunt interrupts my thoughts, my eyes opening in surprise. Fluffy, her friendly expression now replaced with a look of concern, takes a cautious step toward me and whines, touching me lightly with a long claw.

"Yeah, girl. I'm alright." I smirk, resuming my slow pace beside her. _What am I going to do with you, Fuzzball? I know what will happen if I try to run. You'll just run after me and get your head blown off by Francis and the others. Then, I'll go on a guilt trip because your death would be my fault._

I place a hand lightly on my throbbing forehead and sigh, feeling my eyes water slightly. "They wouldn't understand you, girl. You should leave me. Save yourself." _Please let me go. This will never work._

She freezes and gives me a shocked glare, her muscles tightening.

"Fluffy," I say softly, running a finger gently over her chest, just above her heart. "You're sweet, but I'm a human. This... 'thing' between us, friendship or whatever it is... won't work out well."

She stares down at me with horror written plainly across her pale face, her jaw dropping in disappointment.

"Aw, don't look at me like that!" I turn away and moan, avoiding her heartbroken gaze. "Look, I really like you and everything, but for your safety and my pride, I'm breaking it off. It's over, alright?"

She stays silent, but the air between us is tense.

I stay silent for a while too, but guilt implores me to speak, to say something to ease her pain. "Look... I do enjoy your company, Fluffy. You're very charming and I don't want you to freak out or anything, so..."

Seeming to ignore me completely, she lunges past me and growls, her claws twitching angrily as she crouches low to the ground, growling at a supermarket across the street

"Fluffy?" I frown, watching her with startled eyes. "Uh, I'm trying to apologize here. You could at least listen..."

She turns back to me and hisses, placing a claw over her lips, telling me to be silent.

This hits a sensitive cord inside me.

If there is one thing I cannot stand, one thing that pisses me off beyond anything else...

It's when someone cuts me off and tells me to shut up.

Now I'm seeing red.

"WHAT?!" I roar, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her around to face me. "How DARE you tell me to shut up? Here I am trying to break it off with you nice and gently, but now you're all in my face and telling ME to shut up? Do you want me to smack you? HUH?"

She stares at me with stunned amazement, seeming to grow powerless beneath my rage. She then points toward the store and whimpers, but I'm in no mood to listen.

"Do NOT interrupt me when I'm talking to you!" I scream in her face, shaking her angrily. "I hate it! We are SO over, Fluffy! Do you hear me? OVER! I SAID WE ARE O-"

A bloodcurdling roar cuts me short, causing me to glance at the supermarket in shock.

"What was that?" I whisper to Fluffy, still clutching her against me.

She points to the store and groans, giving me an annoyed side-glance.

"Oh," I murmur expressionlessly, my heart skipping a beat as I watch the front entrance to the mall suddenly blow open by unimaginable force, a hulking figure emerging from the crumbling debris and clouds of dust. "That's what you were trying to say. A Tank..."

Fluffy stiffens as the hulking Tank turns to face us and roars again, her muscles twitching against me. She knows the danger, but still stands her ground.

But I'm terrified.

"Come on!' I whisper loudly, tugging her arm. "Let's get moving! We can outrun him!"

She growls in reply and shakes her head, shoving me away.

I stumble backward, my brows creasing in confusion. "Fluffy? Come on!"

She shakes her head again and waves her claws toward a distant building before turning to face her enemy again, arching her back like a cat preparing to spring.

I know what she's asking of me. She wants me to run while she battles the giant alone.

"You must be insane! This is no time for heroics!" I grab her again, attempting to drag her with me as I try to bolt for the safety of a tall block of apartments. "Come on, you moron! You don't stand a chance against him."

She withdraws her claws from my grasp in a violent yank and shoves me forward, hissing in my ear.

For just a moment, as if a figment of my imagination, I swear I hear words pass from those black lips.

"Run, human. Run."

I turn to her indisbelief, my eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before my legs obey her command, carrying me swiftly toward the crumbled shelter of the apartments. I instinctively climb through a low window and hide, my back pressed against the mouldy wallpaper featuring pink flowers in a ghastly yellow background.

Outside, I hear roars and shrieks mingling together. The earth shakes beneath me as I feel the vibrations from their battle, seeming to match my frightened heartbeat.

"Fluffy," I whisper, resting my face in my hands. "You stupid fool."

A sudden shriek, this one painful, shocks me to my core. _Fluffy!_

I rise to my feet and poke my head out the window, watching fearfully as the Witch dangles weakly from the massive grasp of the Tank, slashing feebly at his huge fist. The damage she has caused, although evidently severe, has done very little to stop her enemy's advances.

"You bastard!" I force myself through the window and sprint toward them, grabbing a shattered beer bottle from the ground as I fly over the street, my legs trembling like pistons as I force myself to move faster. "Put her down!"

The Tank ignores me and squeezes Fluffy tighter in his cruel grip, a cry escaping from her lips as her waist is slowly crushed.

"I said PUT HER DOWN!" I scream in rage, nimbly stepping behind the Tank and leaping onto his back, raising my hand above my head before fiercely plunging the sharp, jagged end of my bottle as deep into his back as I can. The moment I pierce his flesh, I scream again and rip upward, wrenching his blistered, muscular flesh open to expose red muscle.

He roars in alarm and drops Fluffy to the ground, reaching over his shoulder to try and wrench me off his back.

I dodge his grasping fingers and plunge my weapon into his hand, earning an enraged scream as the Tank then begins to buck against me, throwing me into a wall with a painful crunch.

I groan as my vision gradually begins to blur, barely recognising the hulking, bloody shape that looms over me, a massive fist raised above my head to strike.

Something inside me urges me to move, to react.

Clenching my fist more tightly around my bottle until it begins to shatter and cuts into my palm, I pull myself from the wall and throw myself to one side, narrowly dodging the massive fist as it easily plunges into the place I had been only seconds before, crushing through brick and concrete like it were cheese.

I take this as my chance, ignoring the dizziness in my head and the fogginess in my vision to grab onto the muscular arm and vault myself upward, thrusting my bottle into the Tank's face and left eye before twisting, grinding the shards into his skull and face.

He makes a gurgled sound as blood clogs his ragged, torn face, his body seeming to convulse. A single shard, able to pass through the thick bone of his skull through his one eye, pierces his brain and settles there, stopping the giant in his tracks.

I wrench the remains of the bottle from his face and shiver, only a small shard of it left in my bleeding hand. Acting fast, I take a swipe at the Tank's throat and slice a deep groove into his jugular, sending showers of putrid blood down my arm and into my shirt.

It's over.

Like a tree being cut, he slowly begins to tilt to one side before finally hitting a lamppost and leaning against it, the metal creaking beneath his enormous weight until completely shattering. The iron pole remaining, still mounted in the concrete, impales his middle like a sword as he falls onto it, the force of the blow carrying vibrations through his massive body and into my own.

It's as if I feel it too.

As he lies beneath me, so still and silent, I have no choice but to meet his gaze. His right eye, amazingly unharmed by my attack, slowly swivels to my face and stays there, blinking placidly at me as he observes my face.

His eye... is blue. Infected don't have blue eyes. Their eyes are red, angry and mindless.

Or perhaps he's no longer Infected. Perhaps he's finally free.

I feel my heart clench tightly as that eye watches me, not angry, not bloodthirsty. It's not the eye of a monster anymore.

It's human. Finally human.

"Oh my God..." I whisper, my voice cracking in hideous realisation. _ I've killed a person... I... I'm a murderer. All those Infected I've killed... they were all people... I killed them... I..._

His eye, suddenly glazing over, grows unfocused and he releases a painful moan. It slowly rolls away from me and a feeling of distress overcomes me, a need to keep that eye open.

"No! Don't..." I touch his face, feeling the warped skin beneath my fingertips. "I'm sorry... please... don't go..."

But it's already too late.

Like a light going out, his eye seems to grow dull, gazing off into the distance before slowly closing shut, his breath being released from his lungs in a slow, tired sigh.

He's at peace.

But I've been left behind.

"No..." I whisper, stroking his face. "I'm sorry... oh God, what have I done?"

He doesn't answer. He never will.

I slowly roll off his body and stumble to my feet, my eyes widening in horror as I gaze down at my bloody, mauled hands. Shards of glass are imbedded in my palms and it hurts.

I'm a killer. I'm worse than any Infected.

I am the monster.

A soft moan interrupts my thoughts and I slowly turn around, my eyes lowering to settle on the trembling grey figure lying on the street a few feet away, her red eyes locked on mine.

"Fluffy," I murmur gently, dropping on my knees at her side to gently scoop her into my arms. "I'm so sorry."

She whimpers softly in reply, brushing her tongue lightly over my cheek.

"Come," I say weakly, carefully raising her off the ground. "Let's get you home. I should have never suggested this walk in the first place."

I turn my face toward the direction of the distant warehouse and sigh, slowly making my way down the narrow street to my destination. After a few paces, I pause and look back, giving the fallen Tank a sad glance.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, a tear escaping my eyes. "I'm so very, very sorry." _I hope you find peace._

And with one final glance at the still giant, I turn back to the rising sun and walk onward, holding Fluffy a little closer to me as we go. _This must stop. No more killing._

I won't endanger Fluffy again.

* * *

"Bill! Damn it, slow down!"

"Zoey? Zoey!" I hold my gun closer as I run into a deserted street, glancing on either side as in search for my missing companion.

She's nowhere to be found.

"Bill!" Francis jogs beside me and growls, giving me a sharp glare. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? You can't just go running around, yelling at the top of your voice-"

"I heard her voice, Francis!" I snap back, glancing around me in desperate hope. "She's here... I heard her! I know I heard her!"

Then, as if an answer, I notice a bloody heap on the sidewalk a few meters off and run toward it, holding my gun forward. "Zoey? Are you alright?"

I stop a few feet away from the bloody heap and sigh in disappointment, lowering my gun. "Shit. Just a dead Tank."

"I told you she wasn't here, old man." Francis sighs angrily behind me, spitting a glob of saliva near the dead Tank's head. "I hate Tanks."

Louis, his footsteps light and cautious, quietly steps beside me and places a warm hand on my shoulder, trying to smile. "It's okay, Bill. I heard her too. We'll find her."

"If a Hunter doesn't first," Francis mutters under his breath, Louis turning to glare at him.

"Shut it, Biker. Don't make things worse."

"She's probably dead. We shouldn't waste our efforts finding someone who's doomed."

"Francis!"

"What? It's true!"

I sigh, ignoring the loud whispers as my comrades argue behind my back. I turn away from the dead Tank and slowly pass the two younger men, hiding my face as I pull my gun closer. "Come on, boys. Let's go."

Louis and Francis exchange worried glances before nodding, following me into a dark, dank alleyway.

The Tank lies still, gazing at the sky, dreaming.

* * *

There you go! Chapter 4. Things are getting tense and, admittedly, a little violent. Sorry about that...

So, now Fluffy is injured and Zoey has had an attack of conscience. What will happen?

Only time will tell...


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Last night, while I was sleeping peacefully in my bed, I dreamt that a sudden zombie apocalypse hit the world and I was forced to fight, alongside three other survivors, against the thousands of Infected that ravaged the city.

Whoa... I was role-playing Left 4 Dead in my sleep. That's scary.

In fact, I was actually Zoey in my dream. I had a shotgun rather than a pistol, though, so I was a little more kickass. I saw everything from her eyes and got very well acquainted with rabid Infected. It would have been awesome... if not for EVERY freaking zombie wanting to eat MY brain while generally ignoring my team mates. I mean, seriously!

Eventually poor Bill got attacked and turned into an Infected, leaving me as the only human survivor left on earth (Francis and Louis were long gone by now, sadly).

The dream was quite sad, really. I had to kill Bill (get the pun?).

So I was all alone...

And more Infected just kept coming.

So, my friends. Just chill, read, review and enjoy this chapter from the safety of your computer room while I keep having flashbacks. Any suggestions you dish out make me happy. Thanks yet again to Librarian00X for providing helpful ideas for this chapter, and the others too.

This is where the story takes a very interesting turn...

* * *

"Darn it, Fluffy. You could have been killed out there. What were you thinking?"

No answer. Just silence.

I hold her a little closer to my chest as I limp slowly down another grimy, bloody sidewalk. I moan as pain stabs my spine with every heavy, tired step I take. I can feel myself sway slightly from exhaustion, dehydration and hunger, dizziness in my head clogging my eyes with fog.

I'm stuck in a city infested with zombies and I can't even see ten feet in front of me.

This is the worst situation a lady could ever find herself in... ever.

"Shit, this sucks..." I whisper, pausing to lean weakly against a traffic light, panting as my muscles ache in protest. "I can't see where I'm going. I think we're lost, pal." _I've been limping around for hours. I can't do this anymore. Every time I stop to rest, I hear something following me..._

Fluffy moans softly in my arms, nuzzling my shoulder apologetically.

She's in even worse shape than I am. How can she still be alive?

Boy, am I glad she is!

"Fluffy," I whisper, feeling my knees buckle beneath me as I slowly sink to the floor, my side grazing painfully against the cold pole of the traffic light. "I can't do this anymore. I'm so tired..."

A soft hissing from somewhere makes me shiver, my head involuntarily glancing around to seek out the intruder.

Of course, I can't see who, or what, it is.

Am I losing my mind?

Fluffy growls softly in my arms and I know that this intruder is not a figment of my imagination.

I am being followed.

I slowly rise to my feet and sigh, pressing Fluffy protectively against my chest as I lean backwards against the traffic light. "It's okay, girl. It's okay." _Who am I kidding? I can't fight like this. We're screwed._

Sudden laughter makes me stumble forward in alarm, my sightless eyes widening in horror.

"Hunter," I whisper aloud, holding Fluffy ever closer. "Shit." _Francis always told me that a Hunter would get the better of me one day. I guess I should have listened. I just wish Fluffy wasn't involved..._

She mumbles softly and snuggles closer against my chest, touching my face with a claw reassuringly, soothingly.

I'm not soothed at all as I hear light footsteps draw closer, crunching over debris as the Hunter nears.

"Alright, you bastard!" I shout as forcefully as my parched throat will allow, my pride fighting to save itself. "You want a fight? Bring it on, bitch!"

The Hunter's steps suddenly stop, seemingly startled.

"That's right, boy. I'm talking to you!" I rest my cheek against Fluffy's forehead and close my eyes, feeling her skin press familiarly against mine for perhaps the final time. "If you want to kill us, you're going to have to fight me first. I won't let you hurt her."

She whimpers weakly, brushing her tongue lightly over my chin.

I'm going to miss that.

More footsteps, each distinctly different, suddenly make themselves known as countless more Infected appear, trapping me against the wall. I can only see foggy shadows.

I hate being blind.

"What? You guys want some too, huh?" I take a threatening step forward and growl, trying to look as threatening as possible in my condition. "Like to pick on people who can't fight back? Come on!"

A grunt, definitely coming from the Hunter, is followed by the same footsteps that have been following me for hours. The Hunter draws closer and closer until I can smell him, a sour stench of decay.

"Human," he rasps, his voice deep and menacing. "Why do you have that Witch?"

I shiver, instinctively holding Fluffy closer. "She's my Witch, Hunter. If you want her, you'll have to kill me first!"

The Hunter, now silent, stands still for a while. Finally, he takes a soft step forward, his scent growing more intoxicating.

"Human," he says again, his tone cautious.

"What, Hunter?" I reply shortly, baring my teeth.

"You protect one of our kind like she is your own." He then chuckles, evidently amused by the idea. "This is most interesting."

"You sound smarter than the other Hunters I've killed," I reply with a smirk, adding a menacing edge to my voice. "Do you Infected have some kind of educational institution going on? It's a stunning improvement to the usual stupid, mindless zombies I've seen in the movies. Good work."

"You're very brave, human." He growls softly and takes another step forward, obviously angered by my comment. "I'm not sure whether to kill you, or keep you as a pet. You would make a fine Witch."

I feel my body clench in anger, Fluffy hissing softly in my arms. "You're right, Hunter. I'd make a kickass Witch. I'd love to carve a hole right out your face right now, you son of a-"

"Enough," the Hunter says dismissively, my anger swelling after being interrupted. "I don't have time for your games. You're obviously too useful to be eaten."

"Useful?" I frown, confused. "How?"

"You fight to protect that Witch like she's a human," he replies softly, expressionlessly. "This shows that you have some empathy. It's a pleasant change for your kind. You're also brave and I admire that in a female. You're a fine specimen."

"She saved my life, Hunter." I cradle Fluffy more securely in my arms and sigh, touching her forehead with my nose. "I'm just returning the favour."

Now it's his turn to be surprised. "She saved your life?"

"Yep." I grin, closing my eyes as she nuzzles my neck, enjoying her while I can. "I owe her. So go ahead, Hunter. But you'll have to rip me to pieces before you lay one finger on her."

"Who says I want to harm her? She is my own kind." He chuckles deeply, sighing. "I have no intention to kill you either, now that I see your potential. I have been tracking you for a while, just to see what you would do with her since she is, really, almost dead."

"Call me her personal bodyguard." I can feel my arms ache from the effort of holding Fluffy for such a long length of time, but I refuse to set her down. "I will protect her."

"I want to turn you," he murmurs, taking another step closer. "You really would be magnificent... powerful... similar to the Witch you're holding now."

"Yeah. She is pretty, isn't she?" I blink rapidly as I notice my vision slowly returning, allowing me to see the Hunter's murky outline before me.

He's only a few feet away now, tall and threatening in a dark hood that shadows his face.

But his eyes, red and hungry, are crystal clear to me.

"Do you know why she's so unique?" He grins, baring his grimy teeth in a cruel smile. "Do you know why she's so unlike all the other Witches you've had the pleasure of killing, why she doesn't try to claw out your throat right now, regardless of her condition and the fact that you're helping her? Witches aren't known for saying 'thank you' to any unsuspecting human who tries to comfort her when she cries. You should know that, human."

I don't answer. Instead my eyes dart around at the other murky shapes surrounding him. I can make out the large outline of a Boomer toward my right side, also close. _Strange. This Hunter seems to call the shots. They won't attack me unless he does._

"She's special. A better breed created from a stronger human host." He folds his arms and hisses, impressively large and foreboding. "You see, the Infection is really a kind of parasite that requires a host body, which it will control. However, as you see, not all of us are susceptible."

I frown, feeling Fluffy stiffen in my arms. "What do you mean?"

"I am not a mindless animal. I can talk, think, even feel." He then laughs, his voice cold. "I am unique! We all are! And so is that Witch you're holding."

"So, you've got brains." I give Fluffy a reassuring squeeze as she whimpers softly in my arms. "I guess the Infection hasn't been able to take hold of your mind and, with your superior intelligence, you essentially are stronger than the other Hunters."

"Exactly!" He laughs again, opening his arms jubilantly. "We all are superior! Unable to survive with our mindless brothers and sisters that ravage the countryside, we found each other here, in the city, and made our own pack! Together we survive."

I don't know how to respond. It's all too unreal.

"Confused?" He giggles now, twisted with joy. "We are a society, human. We hunt together, fight together and die together to survive as a whole, as a Hive."

"So who's the queen bee in this hive?" I murmur softly, looking around for a particularly impressive Infected.

Even though my vision is not at its best, I can tell that these infected are different. Bigger, better built, and intelligent.

Just like Fluffy. It all makes sense now.

She's one of them. But then why isn't she part of this 'Hive'?

"Oh, you'll meet her soon enough." The Hunter smirks, tilting his head to one side as he observes me. "You are very pretty. Such black hair! I have never seen a Witch with black hair before. It would look fantastic..."

"Yes. A bold fashion statement," adds another voice, this one unusually soft, almost musical.

I frown as a small shape pushes itself from the rest, not much bigger than a young child.

"Ah. You came, Shrieker." The Hunter smiles down at the smaller, female Infected before turning back to me. "A new breed. You haven't met one such as her, have you?"

The Shrieker, indeed a young girl barely in her teens, turns to me with narrowed red eyes, observing me like a bullterrier eyeing a cat. "She's not bad, Hunter. A little shorter than I'd like, but indeed attractive."

"You're one to talk about shortness," I retort angrily, ignoring Fluffy's low warning growls. "What are you anyway?"

"I am the Shrieker in our pack," the Infected child replies softly, smiling. "I used help that Witch you're holding to do her job before she, well... ran off and disappeared."

I turn to gaze down at Fluffy with shocked eyes, meeting her weak gaze in horror. "What does she mean?"

"What I mean," the Shrieker replies impatiently, her voice hitting a surprisingly high note that hurts my ears, "is that your 'pet' is meant to sit in a corner and sob while you stupid humans wander around trying to be quiet. Then I, hidden strategically behind a wall or a closed door, detect your scent and scream. This, of course, upsets the Witch who will proceed to violently and messily rip you to pieces and leave me to gather your remains. Simple, but sweet."

"They work very well together, actually," the Hunter adds with a soft chuckle, stroking his Shrieker's head with obvious affection. "Like sisters."

"We did work well, you mean, darling Hunter. But that Witch couldn't handle her duties," answers the Shrieker with distaste, casting Fluffy a hateful glare. "So she ran off. Even my sweet Hunter here couldn't track her down. We've been looking for her for weeks but it seems that you, human, have led her to us."

"Thanks for the assistance," murmurs the Hunter, chuckling again. "You made our job quite easy."

"Shit!" I pull Fluffy closer against me and hiss. "What do you want with her?"

"To bring her back into our Hive, of course," answers the Shrieker, her gaze moving from me down to Fluffy. "Don't worry. We won't hurt her, even though it's tempting. Those Witches are so rare to find, especially one of her quality, so she won't be touched."

"We need her services, since we are so short in numbers." The Hunter then closes the gap between us with on large step and touches my face, his fingers rough and cold. "Although... you could always be her replacement."

"You are a sick bastard." I pull myself away from him and growl, Fluffy tensing in my arms. "I won't let you take her if she doesn't want to and I'm never going to join your Hive, pervert. Back off."

"Ah, so feisty," he purrs, smiling. "Are you sure? You'll be protected, have shelter and belong to a family, of sorts. I could keep you company, pretty..."

He reaches out to touch me again and, faster than a bolt of lightning, a gleaming set of claws slashes the front of his face and throws him backward, showering blood in his wake.

My jaw drops in shock at the sudden attack, my mind taking several moments to figure out exactly what happened before my gaze slowly shifts from the Hunter, now crouched on the floor in attack position with his Shrieker crouched at his side, down to the growling, angry Witch that lies in my arms, her claws now dripping with fresh blood.

The Hunter's blood.

"Fluffy," I whisper, my lips curving into an impressed smile. "You getting jealous?"

She turns her face back to me and grunts, extending her tongue to brush my cheek affectionately.

I blush slightly, but my joy hides any awkward embarrassment. "I missed you, girl. I'm glad to see you're strong enough to slash."

She growls softly in my ear, a loving rumble in her chest.

The Hunter, now enraged, rises to his feet and hisses, taking an aggressive step forward. "How dare you strike at your own kind! Traitor..."

"Relax, Bob. She's just a little protective over me." I chuckle, giving 'my' Witch a gentle squeeze. "You could say that we've got a bond. She doesn't like strange men getting between us."

He growls angrily, but holds his temper. "I can see that, human. She's attached herself to you."

"Well, I am very lovable." I shrug, fighting back a giggle as Fluffy casts me a sarcastic glance. "She's smitten by my beauty and charm. Now, are we done here?"

The Shrieker, her pale lips pulled back to show a set of impressive teeth, hisses and steps backward, tugging nervously on the Hunter's hand. "Let's go, love. We have more important things to do. I smell other humans nearby."

Other humans? Could she mean Bill and the others?

SHIT!

I stiffen in fear as the Infected suddenly begin vanishing from all around me, some pouncing onto rooftops and others dodging behind walls. Soon, only the Hunter and his Shrieker remain.

"Yes, darling," he purrs, stroking her head as he slowly steps away from me, preparing to leave. "We'll get them... next time."

And like a breeze, they're gone, leaving me alone, starving and parched with an injured Witch in my arms.

"I have to get to my team before those Infected do," I whisper in Fluffy's ear as I gently set her down on the pavement, touching her forehead with my lips in a kiss as a reassuring gesture. "I'll be back soon. If you need me, scream really loud."

She calls after me in alarm as I turn and run, still slightly blind but able to make out objects before running face first into them.

I have to be fast.

They'll die if I don't warn them.

* * *

Ta-da! Chapter 5! What do you guys think?

Don't worry if you're confused. I'll explain things more clearly next chapter.

Until next time, cheerio!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

I'm thrilled at the response this story has gotten! I didn't expect it to get so much attention. Thank you all!

To Librarian00X: Your wisdom has been invaluable in the latter production of this story. Thank you again. I look forward to more of your creative ideas in the near future!

As one of my reviewers has already noticed, my 'Shrieker' is really just a female, modified version of the Infected known as a 'Screamer', which was sadly cancelled during its development for the first game (if I remember correctly). Sucks, I know. It would have been an awesome addition to the game.

Anyway, I bring you Chapter 6! Enjoy!

* * *

The pounding in my chest threatens to crack my ribs open as my heart pumps itself to the very limit, my leg muscles trembling under my weight as I fly through the narrow, hidden alleyways of the city I know so well.

There's no time for me to pause and catch a breath.

All I can do is run.

This is one of those times that I'm thankful for my natural athletic talent. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been an exceptional runner, faster than even the boys.

Even now, I'm the undefeated champion on the track.

But am I fast enough to outrun the Undead?

I wipe the back of a hand over my forehead and gasp, finally exiting the alley and stepping out onto open stretch of road, my eyes widening as I spot a familiar group of shapes clumped together, guns held ready, talking softly amongst themselves.

My team! I'm in time. I can save them.

Thank God!

I feel ecstatic to the point of dancing, but notice a dark shadow creep its way closer to my unsuspecting team from atop a high rooftop, crouched and ready to strike the unsuspecting humans.

Shit! It's him!

"BILL!" I scream at the top of my lungs, making the older man practically jump out his skin.

He spins around to face me, a look of stunned joy on his face, almost dropping his shotgun in surprise. "Zoey? Zoey!"

But this is no time for hugs and kisses.

They're about to be ambushed.

"BILL!" I scream again, pointing past his head at the distant rooftop. "HUNTER! HUNTER!"

The Hunter, his hiding place now exposed, roars and leaps from the roof in a graceful arc, diving straight for Francis, who is just too slow to react.

"Francis!" Louis raises his submachine gun at the Hunter as he lands on Francis, preparing to fire. His attempt of heroism is then brutally cut short by the long, whip-like tongue of a crafty Smoker as it unexpectedly grasps him by the throat and yanks him aside, dragging him like a ragdoll on a string into the shadows and out of sight, screaming.

Bill takes the initiative and easily kicks the hunter off Francis, then raises his gun and fires a shot, hitting his target in the chest. But dozens more Infected, seemingly emerging from nowhere, converge on him like ants and swallow him whole in a sea of grasping arms.

"NO!" I try to run from the safety of my alleyway and charge toward them, but a hand reaches after me and grabs me by the arm, pulling me back under cover. Before I can scream, a gloved hand slams over my mouth, shutting me up.

"Easy, kid. No point in getting yourself killed by foolish heroics," whispers a deep, masculine voice in my ear, the hand clamping a little tighter over my mouth. "You can't save them, honey. Let them go."

I struggle against his grip but I'm just not strong enough to escape, forcing me to watch on in despair as I am slowly dragged away from my friends. I reach out with both hands as if to try and pull them back to me, my fingers still reaching for them even when they're out of sight and I can no longer hear their cries.

I have failed.

After several minutes of struggle, my captor seems satisfied to release me, opening his mouth to speak.

But I'm too quick for him.

I land a satisfying punch right in his face, knocking him backward with amazing force. "ASSHOLE!"

Landing heavily against a wall, he moans and gingerly touches the red fist mark in his cheek. His eyes, striking blue, meet mine in confusion and shock, his mouth dropping open in disbelief. "Hey... what was that for? I was helping you escape..."

"YOU BASTARD!" I scream, running toward him and clenching my fist for another attack. "I DIDN'T WANT TO BE RESCUED!"

He instinctively covers his face with his arms as I swing myself toward him, making me quickly change course and instead land a hit lower down, directly in his stomach.

He groans, stooping over to protect his throbbing stomach as I jump nimbly away, his eyes watering at the pain. "What's wrong with you, woman?! I saved your life!"

"SAVED MY LIFE?" I grab him by his blond hair and pull his face upward, forcing his eyes to meet with mine. "My friends were being attacked! I WAS TRYING TO SAVE THEM BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG AND KIDNAPPED ME!"

"KIDNAPPED? I saved your ass!" He shoves me away and growls, rubbing his red face. "There were hundreds of them! How could you have done anything to help?"

I open my mouth to answer, but nothing comes out.

What could I have done?

Gotten myself killed and left Fluffy injured and alone, that's what. I'm such a dumbass.

Fluffy... I have to find her.

She's all I have left now.

Giving the stranger one last hard, cold glance, I turn and walk away, leaving him to soak up the silence.

"Hey!" he calls after me as I make my way purposely onward, the concern evident in his voice. "Where are you going? You can't wander around the city on your own! HEY!"

"I'm fine by myself, thanks," I reply curtly, showing him the finger before rounding a corner and leaving his sight. "I have a friend I need to find."

I just hope she's stayed where I left her. If she tried to follow me in her condition...

I shiver at the thought, increasing my pace to reach her faster. I need her protection now more than ever, but I know that without me, she won't survive.

I hate myself for leaving her alone. Talk about stupidity. And in the end, I couldn't even protect my friends. It's as if all my plans fail somehow.

But I can't think about that now. She needs me.

I lose track of time as I run through every shortcut I know, but I can't help but notice how quiet it is. Where are all the Infected? There should be hundreds of them wandering around, but I haven't encountered any since meeting the Hive.

Could it be that the lesser Infected are too timid to enter the city? That would explain why the countryside is so overrun...

I shrug the thought aside as I sprint down a familiar sidewalk, relying on my instincts to find the right route. Finally, on the verge of frustration, I see it.

The traffic light!

I rush up to it and sigh in relief, touching the cool metal beneath my fingertips. _I'm here. I was afraid I wouldn't find this place again._

A soft, familiar grunt puts a smile to my face as I slowly turn around, my eyes locking gaze with fiery red orbs twinkling barely three meters away. "Fluffy..."

My heart skips a beat as her black lips curve into a happy smile, her claws weakly reaching out to embrace me.

I don't argue.

Feeling fresh tears in my eyes, I drop down on my knees beside her and lean against her chest, sliding my hands up her pale flesh as her arms gently wrap around my back and pull me closer, cradling me within her embrace.

"Fluffy," I whisper weakly, my burning eyes sliding closed as I try to bury myself in her shoulder, hiding myself from my grief. "I was too late. They... they..."

She mumbles understandingly in my ear and cradles me closer, her lips gracing my cheek as she deposits something resembling a kiss on my shivering flesh.

I sigh shakily and move closer, ignoring the iciness of her touch as I seek comfort in her arms. "I couldn't save them, Fluffy. They needed me... I failed them..."

She pats me gently on the back and sighs, resting her chin on my head as she tucks me snugly against her. She's quiet and still as I sob into her chest, not minding my salty tears on her flesh or my loud, laboured breathing near her ears.

She just holds me, listens to my cries, and understands.

Soft footsteps followed by a startled gasp from somewhere behind us disturb the intimate moment, and I distinctly hear the click of a pistol being loaded.

"What are you doing, kid?! Get away from her! She'll kill you!"

Fluffy, startled by the sudden outburst, growls loudly and pulls me aside, slowly rising to her feet to face the intruder, intending to protect me.

She's been startled. This is not a good thing.

The man from before, the same one who dragged me from my friends and claimed to have rescued me, raises a pistol to Fluffy's head and steps forward, giving me a frightened glance. "Come on, kid! Run! I'll distract her."

"You stupid ass," I mutter, rising to my feet to step in front of Fluffy with my arms open protectively. "Do I look distressed?"

He raises his gun a little higher and presses his finger over the trigger, readying himself to fire. "She's a Witch!"

"Put the gun down," I reply softly, my eyes narrowing. "You're upsetting her."

"Kid, step aside!" His eyes lock on Fluffy and his finger tightens slightly over the trigger, still intending to shoot. "I know she looks like a woman, but she's not. She's a monster."

I stand my ground, shaking my head slowly. "No, you're wrong about that. She won't hurt me. She's not like the others."

His eyes move from Fluffy to me, his brows creasing in surprise. "She doesn't attack you? What, is she some kind of pet or something?"

"No, she's my friend." I turn to give Fluffy a reassuring smile from over my shoulder, gently grasping one of her clawed hands and lowering it. "It's alright, girl. I won't let the big bad man hurt you. Easy."

She seems to relax slightly, standing close behind me with her head almost resting on my shoulder. Her eyes slowly move from me, to the stranger and back again, still unsure.

"Big bad man?" The stranger scoffs, lowering his gun and shaking his head irritably. "You must have hit your head recently, kid. I'm the good guy! I saved your life back there from that pack of rabid zombie creatures, only to get a knuckle sandwich as thanks from you before you suddenly go storming off to snuggle with... with... that THING?"

"Person," I correct him testily, patting Fluffy lightly on the head. "She's a person, just like you and me. You will refer to her as such."

"Ah. Now you're one of those crazy zombie sympathisers." He sits his pistol back in the holster around his waist and laughs, folding his arms over his chest. "I suppose you've named her and everything too, eh?"

"Actually, I have." I smirk as his facial expression abruptly changes into horror. "I call her Fluffy. She's my companion, you see? Men have dogs, women have diamonds and I have Fluffy."

"Oh," he says softly, his eyes moving to Fluffy again. "I see. Cute choice of name for such a fine specimen of... zombieness."

"Person!" I raise a finger warningly, Fluffy growling softly behind me. "She's a person, remember? I won't stop her if she tries to eat you again."

"Alright, alright!" He raises his hands defensively and sighs, raising a brow doubtfully. "Well, since she's been introduced, mind telling me your own name?"

I'm silent for a moment, but finally decide that this stranger is no harm to me, especially with Fluffy on high alert. "Zoey."

"Ah! Zoey." He sighs my name and fakes a swoon, Fluffy's growling increasing in volume. "A pretty girl with a pretty name! I should have known. So, Zoey, what are your plans now that your friends are-"

My face saddens as thoughts of Bill and the others resurface again, seeming to shut the man up abruptly when he realizes his mistake.

"Aw, sorry about that, kid," he says awkwardly, blushing slightly. "It must be tough." He brushes a strand of his blonde hair aside and smiles apologetically. "I don't mean to upset you."

"I'll be fine." I turn away from him to face Fluffy, cupping her pale face between my hands and sighing. "I've got you to look after me. Isn't that right?"

Her red eyes seem to soften slightly as she leans in toward me, swiping her tongue quickly over my nose in a display of affection.

"Well," the man manages to say after recovering from his soft gagging, "that's both weird and kind of gross at the same time. What are you doing hanging around with one of those things anyway?"

"She saved my life and offered me a home," I reply softly, caressing Fluffy's cheeks tenderly. "I owe her. She wanted a friend, so I gave her one."

"Oh. That's... sweet," he replies doubtfully. "Whatever floats your boat."

"Come on, girl," I murmur, running a finger under her chin affectionately. "Let's get you home. You need to rest."

"Wait!"

I turn to face the man in surprise. "What?"

"I could always join you, I guess," he says almost shyly, giving me a charming smile. "I'm good with a gun and besides, your 'Fluffy' here looks a little too beat up to fight. What if you run into any more Infected?"

"We can handle them," I reply shortly, turning to leave.

"Well," he murmures with a loud, dramatic sigh, "I can't force you. But I'm just not sure if a lovely young lady like yourself should be left alone with such a dangerous creature. It's not safe."

Fluffy takes a step toward him and hisses, flexing her claws.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." I chuckle at Fluffy's obvious annoyance, giving her a light pinch in the side. "I think it's you who wouldn't be safe."

"I've got water," he says with a hint of desperation now, casting Fluffy an annoyed look.

"I can raid a supermarket," I reply tonelessly, turning away again.

"I'm fully stocked on painkillers too!" he adds, determined to convince me otherwise. "I've got bandages, swabs, plenty of food..."

Food?

"What kind of food are we talking about here?" I turn back to him and lick my lips, feeling my stomach rumble.

He smiles. "Well, I've got canned beans, jerky, cereal..." He begins to count off the items on his fingers, tempting me more and more the further he counts. "I also found some ice-cream, but we've got to eat it quick before it goes off..."

"Yes!" I say suddenly, interrupting him with my eagerness and earning a confused look from Fluffy. "You're in. But I want some of that food and I want it now! Uh... please?"

He raises a brow in amusement, grinning cunningly at me as he gestures at a backpack slung over his shoulder. "Take your pick, kiddo. We'll camp here for the evening and regain our strength, then tomorrow we can figure out what we're going to do."

I nod my head in agreement, my pain and guilt soothed slightly by the thought of some sleep and food. "Yeah, but let's not camp here. Fluffy has a hideout that's a lot safer."

"Really?" He chuckles, resting a hand on his hip and winking in her direction. "Smart pet."

Fluffy utters a low growl, nudging me softly in the side. _'You can't be serious! He's an asshole!'_

I giggle at the imaginary dialogue, taking her gently by the waist before slowly guiding her in the direction of our warehouse, too weak to carry her the distance but strong enough to be her crutch. "I'm glad you can somehow walk, Fluffy. The way that Tank squeezed you, I thought you'd be bedridden."

"My name is Jason, by the way," says my other companion as he saunters proudly beside me, ignoring Fluffy's angry growls and glares. "A Tank, you say? Impressive. Your pet fought him all on her own?"

I flinch at the word 'pet', but let it slide this time. "Yes, but I jumped in at the end when he subdued her."

"Whoa! You telling me you actually attacked a Tank on your own?" He then laughs, slapping me lightly on the shoulder. "Girl, you must be nuts! I like you already."

Lovely.

His food better be good.

* * *

"Get your hands off me!" I struggle against rotting, blistered hands as the Smoker drags me deeper into darkness, the shapes of other Infected visible to my eyes as they slowly follow behind, escorting me to my certain doom.

"Francis!" I scream when I see a Boomer carrying the lifeless body of my friend over his shoulder, my fury turning to cold fear at the sight. _ Francis... no..._

"Don't worry, human," rasps a voice from somewhere in the shadows, followed by an icy laugh that chills me to the bone. "Your friend is alive. I just knocked him unconscious to make him more... agreeable."

"Who are you?" I glance around at the dark shapes surrounding me, spotting Bill being carried in the arms of a Spitter, her toxic saliva dripping from her maw and onto his face.

"Why should I tell you?" the voice replies with another laugh. "It is irrelevant at this point."

I struggle uselessly against the Smoker's grip, still seeking out the voice. "Where are you taking us? ANSWER ME!"

A shape, swaying slightly as it moves, steps out of the shadows and walks beside me, red eyes twinkling menacingly beneath a black hood as its face turns to gaze down on me and smiles, seemingly amused at my terror. "To see our Queen, of course. You humans really are simple."

"Hunter!" I mutter, my eyes lowering to the massive wound in his chest. He shouldn't be walking around in that condition, let alone talking. "How are you-?"

"Alive?" The Hunter chuckles, shaking his head as we descend deeper into darkness, soon only his fiery eyes visible as they gazes hatefully down on me. "I'm not your regular Hunter, human. It takes more than a punctured heart and a couple of missing ribs to kill me."

I stare into those red eyes and shiver, sensing something far worse than death approaching as my friends and I are slowly dragged down a dank tunnel that I can only guess leads somewhere into the sewers, a pungent smell of death and waste stirring my stomach until I cannot help but gag.

We're so screwed.

* * *

There we go. Chapter 6! I like how it turned out, actually.

Alright, now to clarify some things in case anybody is a little lost...

Bill, Louis and Francis weren't killed by the Infected, but captured by them. Now they are being lead through the sewers into an underground den of sorts. Bill and Francis are unconscious, but Louis is still very much aware of what's going on, finding himself unable to do anything to save himself or his friends.

Outside, Zoey is unaware of what's happening and thinks her friends are all dead, making her lose all hope of ever uniting with them again. Grudgingly joining forces with a young man called Jason, who has a bit of a thing for her, they make their way back to the warehouse for some food and a chance to recover.

Fluffy does not like Jason at all and feels very jealously toward him. She wants to eat his brain. I think I've said enough here.

The Hive Infected think and cooperate like a pack, making them superior to their dumber relatives. Using this advantage, they have driven out all competition in the city and made it their home, which is why there aren't hundreds of common Infected wandering the streets anymore like Zoey expected. The Hive also have plans with any uninfected, seemingly immune humans they encounter in their territory, plans that involve a powerful 'Queen infected', whom I shall introduce you to later in the story.

Thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Another late update, but I've been so busy that I can't always submit on a perfectly daily basis. I apologize for that.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, everybody! Again, any advice or plot twists you have to offer are appreciated. Thanks.

* * *

Fluffy was in a lot of pain this morning, but her mood has brightened significantly in these past few hours. That's a good sign.

She has not slept at all during the night and, consequently, kept me up for several hours. I'm certainly not annoyed about losing sleep, but it means that she never got any rest either. She'd been uncomfortable and restless, sometimes yelping as her body tried to fix itself.

If I listened hard enough in the dark while we lay together for comfort, I could actually hear her bones mending themselves under her pale flesh, joining together and reshaping.

That's scary.

But, despite her pain, she now seems amazingly strong. She can stand, walk upright on her own and had the guts to try and bite off Jason's finger when he reached out to pat her earlier today. He's still upset about it.

But I'm glad. She's getting better, and fast.

Gazing down at my breakfast, baked beans in a can with sauce and strips of jerky, I yawn sleepily. _I'm so tired. I hope Fluffy sleeps more easily tonight. My back is killing me._

A soft rattling, rummaging sound interrupts my thoughts and I turn around, momentarily distracted from my breakfast. "What are you up to, Fluffy?"

She turns her head to face me and grunts happily, crouched over a crate filled with tools like a child exploring her toy box. She reaches inside the crate and pulls out a hammer, sniffs it, then smiles and bites it, nibbling into the metal as if it were edible.

I chuckle, rising my feet to walk up to her and sit down again, near her side. I break a strip off my jerky and hand her the piece, gently taking the hammer from her grasp. "Eat this, sweetheart. I'm sure you'll find it much more satisfying."

She stares at the jerky in wonder before carefully taking it out of my hand, sniffing it. She seems to feel more assured then, taking a small bite, then another, finally growing bold enough to ravage the strip between her sharp teeth and claws.

"Wow," I murmur, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You really were hungry."

After a few moments she's finished, turning to gaze intently at the remaining jerky in my hand. Her gaze, amazingly intense, then shifts to my eyes and she stares at me for a while, her gaze not moving.

She's begging.

I smirk, handing her another strip. "Enjoy, Fluffy. You deserve it." _She's so darn cute. How could anyone argue with that face?_

She snatches the strip and devours it in a matter of seconds before looking back up to me, again resuming her intense stare.

"This is becoming a habit, isn't it?" I raise a brow, handing her another strip. "This is my last one. If you want more, you'll have to ask Jason."

Jason, his back turned to face us, huffs in annoyance while finishing off his can of beans. "Fat chance. That thing tried to eat my finger."

Fluffy, ignoring him completely, swallows the strip whole and again resumes her stare. It's both intimidating and cute at the same time, but a bad habit that I know I must nip in the bud.

"No, Fluffy. That's all I had." I show her my empty hands, my can of beans seated in my lap. "Sorry."

She gazes at the can intensely, then back at me, not giving up.

"Oh, so now you want my beans?" I laugh, ruffling her mane of white hair affectionately. "You're terrible! No."

She growls softly, moving her face so that it's practically pressed against mine. Her red eyes, burning with desire, smoulder into mine, not blinking, never shifting for a moment.

"Fluffy," I say more sternly, matching her gaze. "I said no. These are my beans. I'll get you something to eat I'm finished, alright? Be patient."

She's not happy with my answer, keeping her hungry stare locked on me, even more intense this time. Her nose rubs against mine as she moves even closer, making me vaguely aware of her cold breath on my lips.

"Sweetie, that trick won't work again." I give her lips a brief kiss and pull away, shaking my head slowly to exaggerate my point. "The answer is still no."

She tries a completely different tactic this time, her red eyes enlarging significantly as her black lip trembles cutely, her face moving near mine again.

"No," I reply indifferently, frowning. _How does she do that? She's got the most incredibly expressive face..._

Whimpering miserably and lowering her head to nuzzle my chest, she whines softly, rubbing herself against me like a cat. Very seductive, but I won't fall for it.

"Honey, that's really cute and all, but I won't-" I'm cut off guard as she suddenly releases a heartbroken sob into my chest, her shoulders trembling. "Fluffy? Are you alright?" _Aw, shit. Now I've done it._

She moves forward to press her face between my breasts and makes more sobbing sounds, her clever acting stabbing me in the gut with guilt.

"Aw, don't do this to me, Fluffy!" I look away and sigh, resisting the urge to cuddle her.

She only buries herself more deeply into my chest, the volumes of her sobs increasing until I cannot bear any more.

Sighing in defeat, I press my can into her claws with annoyance. "Just take it, you hairball. I'm full enough anyway."

She pulls away and beams, her face lighting up with joy. She then grips me by my shirt and yanks me forward, pressing her mouth to my cheek fiercely before abruptly releasing me and pulling away, causing me to fall sideways into her lap.

She gazes down at me in surprise, then smiles, almost amused. "Rar?"

"Sorry," I murmur awkwardly, moving to sit up again only to feel her claws on my shoulders suddenly, gently pushing me back into her lap in a reclined position. I gaze up at her fearfully, my muscles tensing instinctively at the unusual contact. _What is she trying here? She's got my beans! What else could she want?_

She moves my can to her lips and extends her long tongue, scooping the contents into her mouth in quick slurps that mimic the way an anteater hunts its prey. Her eyes never leave mine while she works, her claws brushing through my black hair gently.

"Alright," I whisper, shrugging casually while secretly enjoying the attention. "If you want me to lie in your lap and watch while you slurp up MY breakfast, that's fine. Just don't expect any hugs and kisses from me."

She grunts dismissively in reply, still scooping the beans into her mouth. A small drizzle of sauce escapes her lips and dribbles down the corner, descending quickly toward her chin.

Not thinking, I reach upward to gently brush the strand away with a finger, interrupting her feeding as she blinks down at me in surprise.

My finger lingers there in shock, freezing in sudden realisation of my actions. _Okay... that was a little weird._

She stares at my finger for a while before whining softly, turning her face slightly so that her lips brush lightly against my skin. She then licks the sauce off my fingertip and growls softly, nibbling at my finger in an affectionate gesture.

"You are so strange." I smile slightly, moving my finger to caress her lips gently. "But I like you. That's my good girl." _Even though you ate my food, cheeky cow._

She moans happily, nuzzling my hand briefly before returning to her meal, guzzling the beans contently while I absentmindedly stroke her cheek. Her claws, gleaming from the sunlight that floods the room from large, high windows, seem foreboding.

But the way she acts with me is the complete opposite.

I glance in Jason's direction and smile, watching his back as he sulkily eats alone. "How's your finger doing?" _Let's mess with him a little..._

"Don't ask," he replies gruffly, making me laugh. "I barely pulled away in time."

"She just needs time to grow used to you." I lower my hand to rest it under my head for extra support, my eyes sliding closed. "Give her a chance. She's a sweetheart when she opens herself up."

"Yeah," he replies doubtfully, snorting. "I don't know about that. As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to stay far away from those teeth."

I smile to myself. _Poor man. He must feel so traumatised._

Fluffy, her slurping sounds abruptly ceasing, grunts contently and sets the can down with a soft clank before brushing her claws lightly over my body, exploring my shape with curiosity.

I raise a brow as her claws sneakily find their way onto my chest, my eyes opening warningly. "Don't try anything. You stole my breakfast."

She gives me an innocent smile, her claws resting heavily over my chest as they squeeze ever so slightly, tightening their hold.

"Fluffy," I whisper darkly, narrowing my eyes. "Remove yourself from my boobs. Now."

She sighs melodramatically and removes her claws, folding them over her chest almost sarcastically. _'You're no fun.'_

"Good girl." I close my eyes again and snigger. _Yeah, nice try. You're not getting anything from me until you apologize for eating my food._

I feel her run a claw lightly below my chin and down the length of my throat, brushing against my collar bone. Her movements are so gentle that the sharpness of her touch doesn't nick my skin.

She's always so careful with me, as if I might brake under her touch. That's my favourite thing about her. She treats me in a way that only Bill could.

Bill...

I open my eyes to gaze up at her sadly, suddenly feeling incredibly lonely. _What would I do if I didn't have you, girl? You're the only thing I have left... since he left me._

As if reading my mind, she cups my face and bends downward, her head hanging over my own. Her hair, amazingly soft, falls past her face like a curtain and tickles my skin, causing me to giggle.

"Fluffy," I murmur coyly, trying to brush her hair aside. "Look at what you're doing to me. It tickles."

She grins, her right eye closing in a wink before she pulls away, still touching my face.

Her touch is familiar, comforting, loving.

I want more of it.

I want to forget my pain. I want to be held, to be cared for. I want to feel her against me.

I want a friend.

Sitting up suddenly, I shift my position so that I sit snugly in her lap and lean against her, my head resting on her shoulder. "Fluffy," I whisper shyly, touching her. "Can I ask you a favour?"

She nods her head slowly, watching me from the corner of her gaze.

"Could you..." I blush slightly at the thought, feeling sillier the closer I come to asking her what's on my mind. "Would you mind... you know... hugging me again?"

She stiffens in surprise, but relaxes again and mumbles teasingly in my ear, taking me into a deep embrace that surprises me.

It's far more than I had expected. It feels even better than I had hoped.

She's so strong. I love the way her muscles enclose me against her sturdy chest, so protective but gentle at the same time. She also smells earthy and strange, a scent that I'm happy to breathe in as I bury myself into her neck. The iciness of her touch does nothing to bother me. She's the warmest person I've known in a long time.

As unbelievable as it now seems, her touch is even better than Bill's and, for the first time in months since the Infection began and my family were all killed, I actually feel somewhat whole and complete.

I finally have someone all to myself, someone who needs me as desperately as I need her.

Together, we become whole.

I stifle a pleasured moan as a wonderful feeling of calm and joy fills me, shoving aside all painful regrets. I move closer against her and sigh, my eyes sliding closed again. "Thank you... fluffy."

She whispers sweet nothings in my ear and squeezes me tighter, holding me just the way I like it.

I'm not alone.

* * *

"Bill! Wake up, Bill! BILL!"

I moan, my head throbbing bitterly as my eyes struggle to open, Francis' face hanging over mine. "Zoey... where...?"

"Forget her, man," he replies urgently, shaking me fully awake. "We have bigger problems here!"

"Where are we?" I whisper, glancing at grimy walls illuminated by a single ceiling light. I sit up and rub my face, cringing at the terrible smell of this place. "It smells like shit here. What is that smell?"

"We're in the sewers," Francis replies irritably, glancing at a cell door on the other side of our tiny, filthy room. "Those zombie bastards locked us up in here and took Louis."

"What?!" I force myself onto my feet and run to the cell door, banging it with my fists. "LOUIS! ZOEY!"

"I tried that already," Francis mutters darkly, grabbing me by my shoulder. "It's no use. You'll just hurt yourself."

"We have to get out of here!" I turn to face him and growl, forcing his hand away. "So unless you've got any suggestions, let me be!"

He frowns, shaking his head slowly. "You'll go to any lengths to find that girl, won't you?"

"It's not just Zoey," I reply quietly, turning away. "Louis is out there. We have to get to him before they... they..." I can't finish my sentence.

It's too terrible to imagine.

"Worried about your friend?"

Francis and I twist around in alarm at the sudden raspy, unwelcomed voice, the face of a Hunter grinning at us through the bars of the cell door.

"You!" I growl, recognising his face. I then rush forward and slam my fists at the narrow bars, ignoring the pain in my knuckles. "You bastard! I killed you!"

"No," replies the Hunter with a smile, shaking his head. "Although, that shotgun did some damage. It's taken me over a day just to grow back my ribs and heart, let alone the rest of me."

"What?" My eyes widen in horror. "You... you..."

"I can mend myself, yes." He chuckles, his red eyes narrowing. "We all can. You'll meet the rest of us soon enough, Human, along with your dark friend. The one you name... Louis."

"If you hurt him," I move my face closer and snarl, punching the bars again. "I will kill your rotten ass, you and all your screwed up friends! Hear me? All of you!"

The Hunter raises a brow, smirking. "Really? I don't think so. See, we're not your usual Infected..." He then turns away and disappears into the darkness outside the cell door, leaving me in boiling rage.

"BASTARD! COME BACK HERE!" I rattle the bars in frustration, kicking the door as hard as I can.

"Coward," Francis mutters, sitting himself down behind me. "I hate hunters."

I turn to face him and sigh, dropping to my knees. "How long have we been here?"

"Hours... maybe days. I don't know." He shrugs, his eyes downcast. "All I know is, when I woke up, Louis told me that they dragged us in here a long time ago. Then, suddenly these two assholes burst through the door and grabbed Louis, so when I tried to fight back, another one pinned me down. I watched those things drag Louis through the door before I was punched in the face and thrown to the floor, the door slamming shut before I could get back up again."

I watch him in thoughtful silence, slightly surprised by his morbid demeanour and the guilty tone of his voice. It's rare to see Francis emotional and right now, he's evidently upset, almost depressed.

I notice how his knuckles are cut and bruised, obviously from failed attempts at escape. The grime on his face gives way to dried tear marks and there are bags under his eyes. He looks older, more weathered, not like his age at all.

I'm looking at a frightened, broken man with no hope.

Just like me.

* * *

There we go! Chapter 7 finally done. Again, sorry for the wait. I'll honestly try not to let it happen again.

I wrote this chapter in such a way that it would express Zoey and Fluffy's blossoming friendship, and the terrors that Bill and the others will endure down in the sewers.

What will happen? Find out soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Hey guys! Chapter 8, finally. I know this chapter is late, but I have to arrange an art presentation that is vitally important, so bear with me. I am trying to work faster.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Again, suggestions are welcome. I've received quite a few already and I'm going to try to fit them into the plot, so don't feel that your ideas have fallen on deaf ears. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

* * *

"Aaaah! Darn it, Zoey! Gently!"

Rolling my eyes, I carefully dab yellow disinfectant over the bloody gash lining Jason's face before again lowering my tweezers to a shard of glass imbedded in his cheek, pulling it out in a swift motion that earns me a series of curses and growls. "Oh, shut up. You're a big boy."

"It hurts, okay?" He casts me a childish glare, his eyes watering and his mouth shaped in a pout. "Besides, aren't women supposed to be all soft and motherly?"

I merely smile calmly at his annoyance, dabbing more disinfectant over the wound. "Not this one, babe. Besides, if you had been watching where you were walking, you wouldn't have tripped and fallen into that pile of trash."

"I was looking into your beautiful eyes, okay?" He attempts a charming smile, his face amazingly radiant and handsome despite the bloody wound. "You distracted me. How could I have known?"

Raising a brow, I brush a dry tissue over his chin, removing small traces of blood and glass from his tanned flesh. "This is a zombie apocalypse, honey. Staring at me is going to get you killed."

Fluffy, watching me attend to my patient with obvious jealousy, growls softly. '_The only zombie killing you will be me.'_

"Well," Jason replies almost seductively, ignoring Fluffy's distaste. "You are very beautiful."

"So people tell me," I reply indifferently, pulling another shard out of his face. "I'm flattered. However, if you end up being mauled or eaten because of staring into my eyes, then you won't be able stare at me anymore, will you?"

Leaning forward so that his eyes are level with mine, he sighs softly and runs a finger lightly under my chin. "You are worth the risk, Zoey. If I can spend my last moments looking at you, I'll die a happy man."

I feel my face heat up in embarrassment, taken aback by his advances. "I... uh... thank you, Jason." _Wow. We've been together for only three days and he's acting like this is a date._

He nods slowly, his blue eyes twinkling. "It's a pleasure, Zoey. Now, I think you better give Fluffy some attention before she nails my head to the wall with her death stare."

I turn to gaze at the Witch from over my shoulder, laughing at the horror that is written plainly over her pale features. "Fluffy, are you jealous?"

Her red eyes, previously burning into Jason, slowly move over to me and immediately soften, her facial expressions turning from rage to playful excitement at the prospect of finally earning my attention.

I reach out with my hand toward her, smiling as she immediately crawls toward me and presses her forehead to my palm. "That's my girl. Jason was hurt and needed some love, okay? Don't get jealous."

She whimpers, tapping her claws into the ground coyly as she casts Jason an apologetic glance before looking back to me, adorably shy. _'Sorry.'_

"See, Jason?" I give him a bright smile. "She's harmless, really."

He arches his brows in amusement, raising a single finger for me to see. "She tried to bite this off just three days ago, Zoey. Are you completely sure she's harmless?"

"She needed to get used to you," I reply jokingly, ruffling her hair. "Fluffy is a sweetheart. Aren't you, my little frisky pet?"

She whines happily, reaching upward to touch me before abruptly pausing, her eyes widening in horror.

"What is it, girl?" I frown, confused. _What's going on with her? It's almost like she-_

Leaping to her feet, she growls urgently and grabs me by the front of my shirt, lifting me to my feet and shredding my clothes in the process. Her eyes, glancing around us fearfully, hold a deep desperation in them that I know can mean only one thing.

She senses others nearby.

"Jason," I whisper, my eyes widening as a shadow slips past, vanishing before I can be sure. "Get your gun. We're heading back."

He nods silently, rising to his feet with his pistol ready. "Infected?"

"Yes," I reply softly, another shape, this one on the rooftop overhead, vanishing before I can identify it. "We're being ambushed."

"Shit." He stands close beside me, glancing around nervously. "Why so suddenly? The Infected activity has been close to zero lately."

"That's because these aren't common Infected that simply wander around," I reply in a hushed tone, pulling my own pistol, which I had been sensible enough to retrieve days ago, out of its holster. "These are the Hive. They drove the others out."

"Hive? What do you mean?" He points his gun at a shadow, sighing in annoyance when it vanishes out of sight. "Are they smart or something? Bigger?"

"Yes." I turn to Fluffy and sigh, the fear evident in her face. "Fluffy is one of them. They think a lot like people do and they're very, very nasty."

Jason, his eyes locking on the Witch beside me with obvious shock, clutches his gun more tightly. "You... you telling me she's some kind of super Infected and... and she's one of THEM?"

I open my mouth to answer, but a sudden laugh cuts me short, my body tensing with cold rage. _I know that voice..._

"Pretty human," the Hunter murmurs, stepping into view and leaning casually against a wall, smiling darkly. "I have found you at last."

"We finally caught your scent," adds a musical voice behind him, the tiny Shrieker stepping into view. "You were a hard one to find, human. Very stealthy."

I watch the two Infected in silence, my eyes narrowing. _Bastards._

Fluffy, growly deeply and her back arched like a cat, takes a threatening step toward them before slashing the evening air with her claws in warning, her red eyes burning angrily.

"Hello, sister," the Shrieker replies coolly, her voice lowering to a whisper. "I see you're still as rebellious as ever. Our Queen is not at all pleased with your behaviour."

Fluffy releases a loud roar, jolting me slightly.

"Fluffy, easy girl." I place a hand on her shoulder and step in front of her, earning a surprised look from the Shrieker. "Leave us alone. I don't want any trouble. You've killed my friends. What more could you possibly want?"

The Hunter, frowning, steps away from the wall and takes a step closer. "Those three males?"

"That's right, asshole." I growl, my gun focused to fire right between his eyes. "You killed them. They were my family. If you dare threaten me or my friends again, I will kill yours."

He remains silent for a moment before chuckling, shaking his head.

"What's so funny?" I feel the trigger of my gun shift ever so slightly under my finger.

"Those three human males," the Hunter continues, smiling coldly, "are not dead."

For an instant, my fingers seem to forget their task and I almost drop my gun, my eyes widening in disbelief. "What?" _Is this a trick? They're Infected! They'd never let my friends live. They're mindless killers!_

But, like the perfect contradiction, I remember the powerful killing machine standing so close behind me that I feel our bodies touch, her breath on my neck and her claws clutching protectively around my waist, ready to die in my place.

She didn't kill me when we first met.

"They're alive," the Hunter replies with a sigh, folding his arms over his chest. "We don't simply kill every human we meet. That would make us as bad as out brethren." His eyes then shift from me to Fluffy, darkening slightly. "Besides, that Witch hasn't killed you. She'd rather murder her own kind than let any harm come to you. Doesn't that make you realise?"

Against all logic, I slowly lower my gun, my anger dissipating. "You don't want to hurt us?"

"Of course not, beautiful." He grins, taking another step toward me. "I want you to join me. Your blood is strong, and your male friend over there is also quite rare. You two are just what I need."

I give Jason a quick glance, swallowing nervously. "You want us to become Infected?"

"Yes." The Hunter nods his head slowly, still smiling. "Isn't that what I told you from the very beginning? We need a new Witch and you, my dear, are the perfect replacement. Your friend will be a good Charger. Nice and strong."

Fluffy hisses, resting her head lightly on my shoulder and pulling me closer.

"I'm not replacing anybody," I reply curtly, raising my gun again. "Now, give me my friends back or I'll put a nice hole in your head... and maybe a couple in your Shrieker friend too, just for good measure."

The Shrieker, suddenly laughing, points a tiny finger up at me and grins. "Really? I could kill you so easily, human."

"Oh, yeah? I'll kick your tiny ass!" I change targets and aim for her head instead, my teeth gritting together in anger. "Don't think that just because you're hiding in the body of a kid I'm going to take it easy on you."

She raises a brow, giggling. "Oh, I won't pick a fight with you. I'm not built for that kind of thing. However, that lovely Witch of yours..." Her eyes move to Fluffy, then back to me, her grin growing larger. "I think she'd make the perfect opponent for such a tough human, don't you?"

I turn to Fluffy, suddenly unsure. "She wouldn't hurt me."

"She will, if I tell her to." The Shrieker takes a confident step forward, her eyes flashing. "That's her job, you see. I tell her to kill, she kills, I gather the remains and she starts crying like a miserable child. It's our way."

I shiver, my gun hand shaking. "No. She doesn't listen to you anymore. She's free."

"Alright," the Shrieker replies with a shrug, her sharp teeth glinting under the golden light of the setting sun. "Perhaps a demonstration? I'll show you."

"Don't kill her," the Hunter murmurs, just loud enough for me to hear. "Our Queen wants to see her. She'll have our heads if we come back with only organs."

"What?" Jason, his face growing pale, points his gun at the Hunter. "What do you mean? Hey, you!"

Before I get a chance to speak, the Shrieker throws her head backward and releases a deafening scream, the glass of a nearby streetlamp shattering as the powerful waves of sound escape the tiny Infected like a solid wall of force, racking my skull like a jackhammer and almost bringing me to my knees.

Instinctively, I turn to Fluffy to try and lead her to safety, but one look in her fiery eyes and I know that this creature is no longer my friend.

She's the Witch.

With a movement no lighter than the flick of a wrist, she slams her claws into the side of my face and throws me aside, my world spinning out of control as I fly backward and plummet into the concrete, Jason's angry bellows the last thing I hear before the claws are on me again, my mind lapsing into the warm darkness of slumber at the very last moment.

Sweet escape.

* * *

It feels like months since I last saw the light.

Shivering in the cold, I pull my clothing more tightly around me and take a shaky breath, my eyes darting quickly around our grey prison in desperate need for a distraction. But, there is nothing to take my mind away from the dark thoughts that plague me, nothing to soothe my troubled mind.

Just grey walls.

"This is such shit," Francis mutters on the other side of the room, his eyes locked on the cell door. "What could those bastards want with us?"

Running my hands through my hair, I sigh and try to make myself more comfortable on the torn, filthy foam mattress our captors had been generous enough to add to our cell. "I don't know. I don't want to know."

"Well, those bitches took Louis." He rises to his feet and growls, kicking over a can in annoyance before beginning to pace the room. "If they think they can take me, they've got a nasty surprise waiting for them. I'll kick their asses for this."

I smile, mildly comforted by his aggression. The sudden creaking, screaming sound of the ancient iron lock on the cell door clicking open quickly claims my attention however, my eyes widening in joy and amazement when the trembling, bedraggled form of Louis stumbles into the room, a Boomer blocking the doorway before slamming the cell door shut again.

Francis, rushing to the medic, throws his arms around Louis' neck and pulls him into a bear hug, laughing despite our situation. "Louis! You're alive! Got any of those pills on you?"

Louis, his face blank, says nothing.

"Louis?" I rise to my feet and slowly walk up to him, placing my hand lightly on his shoulder. "What... what did they do to you?"

Louis still doesn't respond, his eyes wide in silent terror.

"Come on," I say gently, pulling him to the mattress and sitting him down. "It's okay. Whatever happened, we won't let it happen again. Understand? We're here."

Francis, no longer smiling, watches Louis with uncertainty. He then turns to me and frowns, evidently worried. "Is he alright?"

"Shock," I reply, tilting the medic's head upward to look him in the eyes. "He's suffering from shock. We should just talk to him and make sure he doesn't panic."

"Shit! What did they do to him?" Francis growls, casting the cell door an angry glare. "Those sons of-"

"Queen," Louis replies suddenly, voice barely a whisper.

"Queen?" I frown, tapping him tightly on the cheek. "What do you mean?"

He says no more, a single tear running down his dark face.

I turn to Francis, exchanging a frightened glance with the biker.

Whatever this man had seen, it had scarred him deeply.

What would happen to us now? Who would be next? Just who is this 'Queen'?

And how are we going to get out of this mess?

* * *

Well, there it is. Chapter 8 didn't come out the way I wanted, but I need to get to work on my presentation tonight. I can't write properly until that gets settled, but I hope this was good enough. So, wish me luck!

Anyway, the Hunter stated that the human survivors are all alive, surprising Zoey. Then, the Shrieker reveals her ability to control Fluffy with her voice, using painfully high sounds to drive Fluffy into a frenzy (the Witch is triggered by noise) to attack Zoey, knocking her unconscious. Jason's fate is unknown. Louis has been returned to Bill and Francis, but obviously disturbed, mentioning something about a 'Queen'...

Why aren't the Hive Infected killing the 'special' humans they find? What does this Queen want with them, Zoey in particular? What will happen to Fluffy now that she's turned on her only friend?

Find out next time...


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Hello again, everyone! Thank you for sticking with this story and dishing out all your invaluable input to me. I've gotten some awesome ideas from you guys and it fills my heart with joy, so don't stop! I read all your ideas and at this very moment, I'm thinking of the means to fit as many of them into this story as possible.

Gee, with all the input I'm receiving, this story may reach over twenty chapters when I only intended ten at the beginning! We'll have to see, won't we?

* * *

It feels as if my head is going to explode.

Noise hits me from all sides like flooding water, their waves of sound pounding into my eardrums with such ferocity my body literally vibrates. Even my bones quiver in discomfort, some rattling from the power surrounding me. I cannot stand, cannot scream, cannot run. It's as if my entire body is seizing in agony.

But I must try to move.

Fumbling, I feebly run my hands over the ground as I allow myself to fall, trying to grasp for the familiar hilt of my pistol before time runs out.

She needs me.

I lift my head for a moment and gasp helplessly as Fluffy, seemingly deranged from her pain, strikes down Zoey with mindless violence and roars, her face contorted with rage and her eyes searing red. She is now a slave to the sound, no longer the gentle creature that once loved and protected.

I have to stop that sound.

Finally, my fingers close around the cold metal I have been searching for and new courage fills me. I then close my eyes and take a shaky breath, slowly rising back to my feet and groaning as I almost topple over. _Time to end this._

My eyes lock onto the Witch and I shakily raise my pistol toward her head, forcing every fibre of my being to remain still as I take aim on the enemy. My finger slides smoothly over the trigger, but just as I prepare to press down on the instrument of death, I feel something holding me back.

Yes, Fluffy could kill Zoey and I at any moment. But can I kill her? Does she deserve death?

No. She doesn't. But someone else does.

I growl, shaking my head before quickly changing targets and instead focusing my strike on the small, screaming figure only a few meters away. My eyes narrow in concentration, every muscle in my body tensing in preparation as my finger tightens with reassurance, ready to release. _That child controls her. If I free Fluffy, we might have a chance. She could save Zoey. _

I smile and, with a soft click, fire a single, precise round that hits its target instantly in a shower of blood and flesh, the screaming cut short and replaced with frightened gurgles and squeaks. "Bull's-eye."

Fluffy, her eyes no longer glowing, freezes in shock at the sudden silence, her claws raised in preparation to land a killing blow on the lifeless, bloody form of Zoey. She takes a moment to realise her freedom, the humanity returning to her trembling figure as her mind slowly rearranges.

The Hunter, staring at his Shrieker in shock, stays dead silent.

My bullet, having torn her throat to shreds, is now imbedded somewhere in the back of her head. Blood flows from her pale lips in red rivers, her childish face expressing pure disbelief.

I feel no shame, no remorse. With the screaming gone, I can now feel my body rejuvenate and I laugh, firing a second shot that connects with her forehead, throwing her backward to lie lifelessly on the bloodstained concrete.

"Take that, bitch," I whisper, grinning. "I bet that hurt."

The Hunter, roaring in outrage, throws himself against me and pins me by the throat to a wall, his lips parting to reveal filthy teeth in a menacing grin. "You bastard..."

"Fluffy!" I glance over his shoulder at the trembling, sobbing Witch, my voice partially strangled by the Hunter's grip. "Take Zoey and run! Go! Don't look back!"

She looks up at me in surprise, her wet eyes widening in horror.

"I'll be fine!" I groan as the Hunter sinks his fingers into my flesh, my lungs burning for breath. "Just... go... save her..." _Please!_

Fluffy's eyes soften as they linger on me, her head moving in a slight nod of agreement. _'Thank you, Jason.'_

A smoker, his tongue whipping outward, grabs her around the neck and yanks, wrenching her sideways.

Screaming, she slashes his tongue in half before sinking her claws into a wall and breaking out chunks of brick and concrete into her hands, tossing them at the angry Infected like crude ammunition that forces them backward, granting her enough time to turn back to Zoey.

Delicate and loving, she bends down and quickly scoops the human girl into her arms in a bridal style, releasing a mournful scream before turning and sprinting away into the darkness of a narrow alleyway, shadows chasing her from rooftops overhead and Infected following her from behind.

"Bye, kids." I smirk, my eyes moving back to the Hunter. "You'll never catch them, buddy."

He hisses, his eyes narrowing in distaste. "You little-" He then pauses, a sudden smile appearing on his rotten lips. "Oh, but this is delicious..."

"What?" I struggle against his grip, sudden panic overcoming my bravado. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't need to kill you." He giggles and clicks his fingers, a massive Boomer stepping forward to grab me by my arms as if on command. "I'll just take you home to meet our lovely Queen instead. She'll like you."

I shiver, my eyes widening. "Queen?"

"Yes!" He walks away and gently picks up the bloody shape of his fallen Shrieker, stroking her head soothingly. "I can't wait to see what she'll do to you. Smoker? Boomer, perhaps? I would prefer a Charger myself, but the choice is hers in the end."

I growl, struggling against the Boomer's vice grip uselessly. "What do you mean? Talk to me, bastard!"

"I cannot turn you myself because of your... immunity." The Hunter turns back to me and smirks, his red eyes twinkling mischievously. "The Queen is the only Infected powerful enough to change a human like you. That's why we need you alive – we're going to take you to meet her in person, so that you may become one of Us, the Hive."

My body freezes in horror, my heart thundering fearfully. "That's why you want us... that's why you want Zoey..."

"So that's her name!" The Hunter sighs, gazing up at the starry sky thoughtfully. "Zoey... such a fine female. What a Witch she will make."

"You won't touch her!" I spit at his feet, my wrists aching from my struggle and my pistol lying discarded on the ground. "She's too smart for you. And Fluffy won't let you go near her."

"Oh, I don't need to do anything. When she realises that I have you in my custody, she'll come straight to us." The Hunter pouts, raising a brow in amusement. "You humans are so cute with your heroics. I imagine that these next few days will be rather interesting, don't you?"

His laugh, like ice water, chills me to the bone.

I know Zoey will come to get me. By doing so, she'll fall right into this bastard's hands and it will be my fault.

What am I going to do...?

* * *

Growling surrounds me from all sides as I desperately sprint down another winding alleyway, my eyes streaming in pain as my bare feet slip in a puddle and my shoulder collides with a corner roughly when I lose my balance.

But I never stop running. I can't. My Zoey's life depends on it.

Glancing overhead, I see a shadow crouch before dropping down toward me, landing in my path to try and slow me down.

Howling, I plough into him, satisfied as my claws shred him open in a bloody shower that I easily pass through. I won't be stopped until my Zoey is safe.

Holding her closer, I choose another path and increase my pace. I can hear her faint heartbeat near my ear, feel her weakening pulse against my skin. I have to move fast to save the woman I love.

The woman I've hurt...

I leap over a trashcan that blocks my way, flinching as I hear the shadows behind me crash through it and spill its contents over the ground in their desperation to catch me. They're close, almost within grabbing distance to steal my Zoey away, so I push myself even harder.

I will never let them take her from me. She's mine, no one else's. I love her. I'll die for her.

Suddenly, I reach a dead end as the wall of a building comes into view. Instead of stopping, I leap against it and sink my claws into the brickwork, clambering my way upward until I stand on a rooftop, my legs resuming their fast pace.

Now I leap from rooftop to rooftop, shadows following me closely until a shrill cry echoes through the night, my body forcing itself to a stop.

I know that sound.

My Queen is calling.

The shadows obediently stop their chase and turn around, leaping out of sight as they rush back to the Nest, to our Queen.

I feel the need to run with them, to obey, but the soft whimpering of my Zoey near my ear forces me to stay rooted and still until the Queen's cries finally cease, leaving us in deathly quiet.

I gently rearrange Zoey so that she lies snugly in my arms, her head resting lightly against my shoulder as she sleeps, occasionally moaning.

How could a human creature be so enchanting?

As I gaze over her perfect face, that familiar feeling of affection and need overcomes my more primal instincts and I smile, pulling her closer as I sit down on the rooftop, our bodies illuminated by the full moon above.

I run my claws lovingly over her entire body, my breath escaping me in a happy sigh. I cannot help but fondle her as I shyly explore her, my nostrils flaring as I take in every sweet scent on her skin and clothes, my ears focused on her soft breathing.

But then the smell of her blood reaches my nostrils and I whimper, looking away in shame. I hurt my Zoey. I betrayed my Zoey. I cut her with my claws, threw her down, tried to-

I flinch at the thought, tears escaping my eyes to run down my cheeks. I am a bad creature.

What have I done? She will never love me now.

My sweet little Zoey...

I am so sorry.

* * *

"Man. I would kill for a burger right now. What about you guys?"

I lift my head and smile at Francis. "Sure would. Louis?"

No answer. Still silent.

I sigh, resting an arm around the younger man's shoulders. "It's alright, kid. Don't worry about it. We're here for you."

Francis watches sadly for a moment before looking away, grunting softly. "Shit."

I open my mouth to speak, but the screeching sound of our cell door being opened makes me jump to my feet, Louis whimpering and crawling into a corner.

"Humans?" whispers a soft, rasping voice as a female Infected, a breed I do not recognise, slowly steps into our cell and looks around, her lips parted to reveal freakishly huge teeth in a bloody, raw mouth.

I shiver as her eyes fall on me, her gruesome appearance making me take a frightened step backward. "What do you want?"

Her face, scarred with deep cuts, is a pale grey that almost reaches black. Her body is bony and thin, the bones of her elbows and spine unnaturally long and sharp, breaking her flesh to form jagged spikes outside her body. Her clothing, the worn out uniform of a police officer, is bloodstained and torn, revealing dark flesh underneath.

She sighs, her jaws opening like a shark before snapping shut again with a sickening crack as her razor-like teeth connect. She then takes a step closer toward me, Francis watching in frightened fascination as she nears.

Her image seems to freeze us all.

"Human," she says again, her lips barely able to move as her enormous teeth force them apart in a constant snarl. "Don't be afraid. I wish to talk."

I swallow, flinching as she reaches out to touch my face, her sharp nails gently caressing my cheek.

Her eyes, a weak shade of red, linger on me before slowly swivelling around our cell, taking in my companions for a moment before moving back to me, almost hopefully. "I can get you out."

I frown, not daring to move.

"If you promise to take me with you, to the Outside, away from here..." She continues to stroke my cheek, her touch like ice. "I will free you."

"Why?" Francis manages to blurt out, cowering in a corner.

"Because," she continues in her soft voice, the very opposite of her frightening image as she turns to look at him, "I... want to leave. I don't like this place."

"What are you?" I pull away from her hand and step beside Louis. _How can she be alive in that condition?_

She turns back to me, her movements slow and tired. "Some call me the Crawler."

"Lovely," I reply in a squeaky whisper, pressing against a wall as she slowly limps toward me, extending a bony hand to resume stroking my face. _Gaaah!_

She tilts her almost hairless head to one side and whines, her red eyes narrowing almost sadly. "I remember nothing from my human years except a few images of the people I once knew. I miss my old life. I never thought about it too much before, but after Hunter brought you three in, I... I started to remember..."

I flinch as her face suddenly moves toward mine, her teeth mere inches from my lips. Her hand continues its stroking, leaving cold trails along my skin.

"I realised that I don't belong here." She whines again, suddenly resting her head against mine. "I feel it whenever I look at you. I was there when you were captured. I didn't interfere, but I wanted to... I wanted to protect you... you just feel so familiar somehow, human..."

"O-okay." I swallow, unsure of how to react. "That's... n-nice?"

She pulls away and sighs, cupping my face between both hands. "I don't know why, but I had to find out more about you, human. That's why I didn't interfere. You had guns. You would have killed me, so I let them capture you so that now we can talk."

I clench my fists tightly, my eyes locked on her bloody jaws fearfully. "Alright..."

"Please, I mean you no harm." She moves forward again, pressing her scarred nose against mine. She then closes her eyes and moans, taking a deep breath. "Oh, you smell so good!"

I blush uncomfortably, edging away from her. "You're too kind." _Any second now she's going to bite my face off..._

She pulls away again, her hands exploring my face. "I haven't been near your kind for so many years, human. I've missed it. You're so warm and soft. Tell me, what is your name?"

I hesitate for a moment, but finally give in to her curiosity. "Bill."

"Bill..." She almost manages a smile, her oversized teeth glinting excitedly. "I am glad to have met you, Bill."

A shrill cry from outside jolts us with alarm, my eyes widening is shock. "What-"

"Our Queen," the Crawler answers softly, turning away to run to the cell door. She opens it hurriedly and steps out, closing it as quietly as she can before looking at me from between the bars.

"We shall speak again," she says with a low whimper, her eyes softening before vanishing from view.

"Shit," Francis whispers, still cowering in his corner. "I think she likes you, Billy Boy."

I growl, throwing him an annoyed look. "Shut up, biker. I almost crapped myself."

Louis, a trembling ball on the floor, hides his face behind his hands.

We are so screwed.

* * *

The end of Chapter 9. What do you guys think?

As you can see, Fluffy is quite in love. I didn't intend for that to happen at the beginning, but if you think about it, the way she possessively acts around Zoey is an indication of something a lot stronger and deeper than friendship. I also decided to go with route because Jason also has feelings toward Zoey, which will create more tension as the story progresses.

As for Bill, he's apparently got an admirer in the Undead ranks. A very scary one, for that matter...

So Jason has now been captured and is being taken back to the Nest to see the Queen after the Hunter reveals that she is the only one capable of turning an 'immune' survivor. What will happen to him?

Fine out next time!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Well, last chapter was quite a cliff-hanger. Let's see how everything turns out, shall we?

Again, suggestions are welcome! No matter how weird or radical, send them to me. I love your input. If any of you wish to PM me about this story or simply to chat, that's even better! I'm open.

* * *

This can't be happening...

I struggle uselessly against the rotting hands that work quickly to strap down my wrists and ankles to an icy stone wall of my new prison, chain restrains pressing painfully into my flesh as they are cruelly tightened to the point of nearly breaking my bones, leaving my fingers and toes to grow numb and stiff.

My eyes wildly glance around the dark, dank chamber I find myself chained in, the ceiling hidden in black shadows like a foreboding cloud, too high for me to make out. The wall opposite me seems nonexistent, simply a black mass against the weak light of a wax candle that burns feebly on a rod beside me, a few meters from where I stand.

"Don't damage him too much," mutters the Hunter as his Boomer tugs my restraints cautiously, making sure to clamp them shut. "We don't want to upset our Queen. She likes her prey to be fresh."

"Look, bastard," I mutter, casting the Infected a hateful glare. "I don't care who or what your so-called 'Queen' is. She's making a big mistake. You better get this shit off me right now, before I lose what little patience I have left and kick your scaly ass. Got it?"

The Hunter grins, raising a brow humorously. "Oh, really? Well! You're brave. She's going to like you more than I previously expected, human. She's always preferred the... feisty types."

I bare my teeth in a snarl, my eyes narrowing with disgust. "Filthy zombie."

His face abruptly changes at my response, contorting slightly as all humour seems to leave his features to be replaced with deep loathing. "You'll make a delicious chew toy," he whispers darkly, his red eyes flashing as his face slowly moves forward to linger near mine, teeth barely grazing my nose. "Truthfully, I'd love to eat you myself..."

I snigger, keeping my fear hidden behind a cocky grin. "You wouldn't have the guts, maggot."

He grabs me by the front of my shirt and hisses, yanking me forward. He opens his mouth to speak, but a low, echoing growl behind him makes his eyes widen in fear, his grip on me instantly releasing.

"What are you doing, Hunter?" purrs a soft, feminine voice from somewhere within the shadows, my eyes immediately drawn toward the sound.

The Hunter, smiling timidly, pulls himself away from me and drops onto his knees in a clumsy bow, his head practically pressed against the ground. "My Queen! I... I was preparing your gift for you! Yes!"

A subtle chuckle fills the room from all around, menacingly soft and playful. "Oh yes?"

"Yes, my love!" He nods his head fervently, visibly trembling from his place on the floor. "I want your gift to be submissive to your will! Rebellion is sinful in your lovely eyes, after all..."

"Indeed. It is." As if by cruel irony, a pair of red orbs suddenly seems to flicker open and burn their way through the darkness to linger on my face, narrowing in a scrutinizing gaze.

I feel my entire body clench in fear, my breath catching in my throat. Those eyes seem to smoulder through me, reaching into my chest to pierce my very core, draining away my strength and leaving me powerless to the will of those eyes.

I'm gazing into the orbs of the Queen herself.

Her eyes are both hypnotically beautiful and hideously wrong at the same time. As they slowly wander over my face, I cannot help but wonder what those eyes are really seeing.

A terrified man, or potential prey?

"Do you like him, my love?" The Hunter, desperate for approval, slowly rises to his feet and steps before me, catching the gaze of those eyes like a child searching for attention. "Have I... pleased you, my Queen?"

The Queen, still hidden except for her eyes, remains silent for several moments before something black, moist and snakelike slowly sneaks its way into the candlelight, weaving its way over the ground to slowly wrap itself around his leg like a hungry python.

I expect the Hunter to have his leg cruelly crushed and ripped away at any second, but after a moment of watching the black thing slowly slide up the Infected's body, I realise that it is in fact an embrace, not an aggressive display at all.

She's rewarding him.

"Thank you, mistress!" The Hunter beams jubilantly, reaching down to hold her black appendage as if cuddling a teddy bear. He then begins to deposit brief kisses all along her black, writhing flesh, forcing his overflowing affection upon her.

Another chuckle, this one evidently pleased, causes him to sigh happily before the black, snakelike tendril is suddenly removed, sliding back into the darkness in retreat. "Excellent work, Hunter. Now leave us."

He straightens up slowly, obviously disappointed, before nodding his head obediently, slowly turning away to cast me a vengeful glare before briskly walking past to exit the chamber from the way we had come, his Boomer henchman following closely behind as they slide open the rusty metal gate and finally shut them behind again, leaving me alone with the mysterious Queen in silence.

I stare at the gate for a moment before turning back to face the darkness in her supposed direction, my eyes moving upward to meet with her red orbs fearfully. I cannot speak, cannot cream, cannot think.

I can only stare.

"Human," she says suddenly, her soft voice expressionless as the sound of her heavy body, a slithering, scraping movement over the cold stone floor, announces her slowly advancing gait. Her smell, the stench of rotting flesh and neglect, makes my stomach lurch and soon, her massive silhouette, deformed and only resembling a human shape, comes within my line of site.

"Holy crap," I whisper as tendrils, dozens of them of various lengths and widths, slowly slither over the floor toward my feet, wrapping themselves around my ankles like giant leeches before slowly working their way upward, her figure growing larger and her scent growing more powerful the closer she comes, the tendrils moving with her. _Oh man... this is not good..._

"You're handsome," she purrs almost seductively, her appealing voice the very opposite of her gruesome presence. A tendril, faster than the others, slides its way under my shirt and snakes up my abdomen and over my chest, finally sliding against my neck to probe my cheek lightly. "Very handsome indeed. My Hunter chose well."

I swallow as the black, slimy limb brushes a strand of my hair dexterously aside, moving like a boneless finger into my blond strands before pressing against my cheek, other tendrils caressing me from all over, but none of them concerning me as much.

Having the back limb so close, I can finally see the Queen's flesh in detail.

Its ice cold and wet to the touch, with thin black skin splitting in some places to reveal red, meaty flesh underneath, blood congealing in the wounds. Scars and scratches line the tendril, streaking the black and red mass with white, jagged stripes. Wounds resembling boils line the harder, more armoured sections of her skin in pus-filled mounds, but they seem to be of no discomfort to the creature.

Gross.

"What is your name, handsome?" she murmurs, stroking my face lightly between several of her tendrils.

I cannot answer, my body frozen stiff with fear as I watch her black limbs at work.

She giggles, her icy touch only increasing. "No need to be shy. We're going to be spending a lot of time together from now on, so you might as well pleasure me with your name."

I close my eyes and shiver, unsure of how to react. If I tell her my name, it will be almost like admitting defeat, but if I refuse to cooperate, she'll most certainly lose her patience and resort to more violent methods.

She presses a tendril lightly beneath my chin and angles my face upward, my eyes opening by pure instinct to meet with her burning, hypnotic gaze. "What is your name, human?" she asks again, more forcefully now.

"Jason," I reply tonelessly, unable to help myself. After I have spoken, my mind screams at me in protest.

But I remain unable to say any more.

I am drugged by her stare.

"Jason," she repeats softly, obviously satisfied with her victory. "I suppose it would be simply rude for me not to oblige you."

My body tenses instinctively as a clawed, decaying hand slowly reaches out to me from within the shadows, its skin resembling rotten rhino hide. On the end of each large, powerful finger grows a curving black talon that flickers in the candle light, menacingly sparkling as they move toward my face.

I want to scream when this hand touches my cheek, my eyes closing in terror. Everything repels me from the hand, but I can do nothing to stop its advance as it gently caresses my face, its rough skin scraping against mine like sandpaper.

"Look at me," her voice whispers, the claws sinking lightly into my face. "Look at your Queen, Jason."

Against my will, my eyes flutter open as she demands, widening in silent horror as they take in the rotting face suddenly suspended mere inches from the tip of my nose, the gruesome image powerful enough to suppress my frightened scream.

The Queen then smiles, her black, scarred lips parting to reveal curving, bloodstained fangs in a lustful grin. Her eyes, held in black, sunken sockets and lined with cuts and scars, narrow ever so slightly and a strand of grey hair falls into her face.

"My beautiful Jason," she says with a chuckle, lowering her lips to kiss my neck. "Welcome to the Hive."

The agonising pain of her teeth suddenly sinking into my flesh forces out my contained scream, my eyes overflowing with bitter tears as I try to pull away, fighting against my restraints.

It does me no good. Her teeth only sink in deeper, the feeling of something hot and venomous seeping into my wound from her mouth and flowing into my veins, fouling my once pure body with something twisted and sinister.

After several moments of agony, my body relaxes and I suddenly grow numb, watching dumbly as she pulls away and smiles, my blood lining her lips like red wine.

"My spawn are inside you, Jason." She brushes a claw gently over my cheek, her gored face still hanging close to mine. "Soon, you will feel the changes. We've been short of a Charger lately, and as I see it, you'll make a fine replacement."

I want to scream again, but my voice is empty and I feel myself slowly succumb to a strange sleepiness inside, my heavy eyelids sliding closed and my head dropping uselessly against my chest.

The last thing I hear is her cold, bitter laughter in my ear, a wicked lullaby of dread.

* * *

My sweet, delicate little Zoey. What have I done to you?

Pressing the white fabric strips over the sleeping girl's face, I wince at the sight of her red blood soaking through to dampen my claws, sickeningly reminding me of the damage I have caused.

I persevere anyway, despite my discomfort. I have to. Her wounds need my attendance. I'm not ideal, but there are a few things I remember from my human years. Bandaging wounds is one of them.

I carefully slide a hand beneath her neck and raise her head off the cold flesh of my thigh, allowing me to gently wrap the bandage around her head before tying it down and lowering her again. I finger the bloodied bandage sadly, the last remnants of Jason's scent rubbing off of the fabric and onto my talons.

He had stashed this bandage earlier the previous morning, keeping it safe in a crate beside his makeshift bed in my warehouse. He had hoped it would never need to be used.

I guess he was wrong.

I carefully lower Zoey's fragile body onto a blanket in a darker corner of my den, being sure to tuck in the musty material around d her neck and shoulders before placing a stuffed teddy bear I had found several months ago under her head as a crude pillow.

I then rise to my feet and step back, unsure of what to do. Should I stay by her bedside and wait? Should I search for food and water? Does she need another blanket?

No, I finally decide, turning slowly away to sit on the other end of the room beside a gloomy window, the signs of early morning sunlight filtering through the dusty panes of glass. I cannot leave her. I shall stay, just to make sure she's safe.

Then I'll leave. After what I've done, my departure will be the best thing for her. I'm more harmful to my Zoey than any of the other monsters out there.

Monsters...

I watch her still body for several hours like a sentinel on duty, my eyes never leaving her face for a moment except when I check for movement outside the window, the sounds of distant, faraway growls urging me to double check.

It is during one of these instances, when my back is turned and my face presses against the window, that I hear a soft moan from behind me, my head twisting around in alarm.

Zoey, finally awake, moans softly before lifting her head off to gaze atn the opposite wall in bewilderment. Feeling the pain in her face, she reaches upward with a hand and brushes it over her face before frowning as her fingertips caress damp fabric instead of skin. She blinks in surprise, pulling her hand away to stare at the red liquid coating her tanned flesh in shock.

I rise to my feet and take a hesitant step toward her, immediately catching her attention. I flinch under her frightened gaze, my body trembling with uncertainty and pain.

I want to embrace her, but the way she stares at me, so frightened...

I just can't summon the courage to take those extra steps and reach out to hold her.

Her body, tense and alert and her chest rising quickly with nervous breaths, seems ready to bolt at any given moment. She continues to watch me like a frightened child as she lies on her back from only just waking, her one good eye locked on my face while the other remains covered in bloody bandages.

I cannot bear to look at her any longer, my gaze instead lowering to stare miserably at my bare feet. I slowly drop to my knees and whimper, tapping a claw over the concrete ground sadly.

For a minute, we're silent.

Finally, her light footsteps and shallow breathing cause me to glance upward, surprised to find her on her feet and shakily limping toward me, her movements slow and cautious.

I do not move, simply maintaining my still, quiet perch upon the ground. I do not wish to startle her. If she wants to leave, I won't stand in her way any longer.

In don't deserve her anyway.

She stops a short distance before me and swallows, nervously lowering herself to sit on her knees. She watches me closely for a while, her lips trembling ever so slightly.

I turn away from her and groan, closing my eyes in defeat. It's over. She's trying to say goodbye. She doesn't even need to, though. I don't deserve it.

But she doesn't move.

I turn back to her after a moment, my eyes widening in surprise at the expression on her perfectly sculptured face.

Her eye, shyly downcast, seems to brim with sorrowful tears until finally; a single droplet finds its way onto her cheek and slowly travels downward to meet her chin, sparkling in the weak light.

Without a second thought, I reach toward her face and gently brush the tear away with a claw, pulling away in shame after her eyes shoot back to meet mine in bewilderment.

What am I doing? How dare I touch her?

The moment of us simply staring at each other seems to last hours until she slowly leans toward me, strands of silky black hair falling into her face to conceal a slight blush I already know is there.

"Fluffy," she whispers, her eye sliding closed as our noses touch.

I mumble softly in reply, my own eyes sliding closed in pleasure. My claws somehow find their way around her face, cupping it gently as I draw her closer, her tears wetting my lips as my mouth graces the skin of her face in light, wandering kisses, her smell wafting through my nostrils and the taste of her flesh teasing my longue as it flicks over her skin.

It feels like we haven't touched in years, even though it's been only a matter of hours. I have missed this.

She slides her hands slowly over my shoulders and squeezes, pressing her fingers into the cords of muscle almost playfully. She then tilts her head slightly to one side and utters something inaudible before touching her mouth against mine in a gesture I do not truly understand, but still feels wonderfully right at the same time.

A kiss, but unlike any I have felt in a long time. It's different, special.

Her lips are strikingly soft, but I already know that. I cannot help but moan softly against her, my body shivering in response to her loving, gentle touch.

All too soon, it ends.

Pulling away and blushing profusely, she clears her throat and looks away, only casting me a shy side glance.

I watch her silently, smiling.

"Don't look at me like that," she mutters, her voice slightly husky and only fuelling her embarrassment.

I do not understand her discomfort. Isn't kissing a good thing? Why does she sound so... seductive?

Curious to discover more, I place a claw under her chin and turn her head to face me, forcing our eyes to meet. I then whimper as her chocolate orbs smoulder into mine with unusual intensity, my stomach clenching in a strange, frightening way.

She sighs, shaking her head before pulling out of my grasp and standing again. "I... I'm sorry, Fluffy. I shouldn't have done that. You don't understand."

I want her to explain, but she's already turned her back to me before I can utter a sound, her head hung as if in shame.

Had I done something wrong?

Eventually she seems to straighten up and laughs, putting on a false smile as she turns back to face me. "Wow. Crazy events, huh? I don't know how you and Jason managed to get us away from that horde, but you did it!"

I freeze, unable to respond.

"So... where's Jason?" She scratches the back of her neck awkwardly, still smiling. "Probably complaining about how much trouble I've gotten him into. Is he alright?"

I flinch, my body clenching in disappointment. How can I tell her the truth?

She frowns now, suspicious. "Fluffy, didn't he help you snap out of that trance thing last night, with the Shrieker?"

I slowly nod my head, tapping my claws together despondently.

"Well then, where is he?" She takes a step toward me and folds her arms, her eyes narrowing. "It's not like you'd just leave him there, right? I mean, since you brought me back here, he's got to be around too, right? So, where is he?"

I slowly rise to my feet and whine, holding my arms tightly against my sides. I guiltily allow my eyes to meet hers and shake my head very slowly, my heart aching as her expression changes from shocked, to hurt and finally to angry, her cheeks flushing in barely contained rage.

"Fluffy," she whispers in a deathly low tone, the brown of her eyes flickering. "Tell me this is a joke."

I shake my head again, touching my chest in a sad gesture of heartache before sniffling, sensing her anger. I try to touch her shoulders, but she shrugs me away before stumbling backward, the anger in her eyes slowly morphing into something else as her gaze fades slightly and moves away from me, staring out of a window toward the outside.

"They captured him," she whispers, her eyes seeming to lose focus as she sways on her feet, as if about to topple over. "He distracted them so that you could drag me back here. He sacrificed himself... for us..."

I nod, forcing my arms around her in a tight embrace. I kiss her neck lovingly, but receive no response at all.

She just continues to sway and stare, her face drained of colour and utterly lifeless.

I try to form words to comfort her, but all I manage is slurred growls that make little sense. Still, despite my failed efforts, she slowly returns her gaze to me and blinks, seeming to focus again.

"We need to find them," she says tonelessly, her eyes darkening. "I know he's still alive. They want to turn him, not eat him. We've got to get to their nest and get him and my friends out of there before they can meet the Queen... if they haven't already."

I shiver, the thought of returning to my 'birthplace' too terrifying to comprehend. I release her and step backward, trembling and whimpering, begging her to change her mind.

"I have to go," she replies almost coldly, grabbing me by a clawed hand to pull me against her. Her face, pressing against mine, has no traces of softness or warmth and her eyes burn with determination. "And you're coming with me. You have to lead me to their nest, after all."

I stare into those dark eyes, knowing that I cannot refuse. Finally, I nod, my brows rising in surprise when a light peck is suddenly deposited on my lips.

"Thanks, girl." She smiles at my submissiveness, stroking my face with a soft palm. "I know you're afraid, but I can't do this without you. I won't make you go into the nest if you don't want to. Just lead me to the entrance and I'll go in alone."

I smile back, leaning in to press my nose against hers. We're together again, even if under poor circumstances.

I'll go anywhere you ask me to, Zoey - as long as I know you're always there with me.

Always.

* * *

"That human bastard just about took my head off, Hunter. I almost died last night."

He chuckles softly to himself while running his fingers through my hair, my eyes closing as I rest snugly against him from my comfortable position in his lap. "You're too cute, little Shrieker. Remember, my love; you wanted to show off your power over that Witch. You put yourself in danger."

"Shut up," I reply with a growl, absentmindedly fingering my newly healed neck. I glance at a round, silver object discarded on the damp stone ground a few feet away, my eyes narrowing with rage.

That bullet nearly killed me.

"Our queen is enjoying that human male as we speak," murmurs the soft, raspy voice of my Hunter as he lowers his lips to kiss my ear, his arms wrapping around me in a brotherly embrace. "He'll be tortured quite thoroughly, do not fear. I heard him screaming only a few hours ago."

"I want to torture him." My arms slip around his neck in a gentle hold, pulling her face closer so that I can plant a light peck on his cheek. "I want to make him scream."

"You're adorably dramatic, my love," he replies in a tender whisper, squeezing me tightly. "I do so love your little quirks."

"What about those other humans?" I rub his short hair affectionately, brushing it aside with my tiny hands. "Those three males hold promise. Has the Queen announced her intentions? I know she met one of them, the dark skinned one."

"I overheard form my guards that his name is Louis. And no, our Queen has not yet informed me of her desires." My Hunter shrugs, running a finger lightly against my neck. "She has been acting slightly unusual since our Witch fled..."

"Are you really surprised?" I scoff, casting him a cold glare. "That Witch was always our Queen's favourite. She was her strongest creation, her masterpiece. Always came first while you and I cowered in her shadow."

"I still do not understand why she fled," he replies in a thoughtful tone, ignoring my annoyance. "Our Queen favoured her above us all, treated her like a daughter. And yet she-"

"Betrayed us," I finish curtly, smirking. "Our Queen is still heartbroken, I suppose."

"Watch your tone." His eyes glance to the iron door of our shared chamber nervously. "She could hear us. She always hears. She warned us to never mention the Witch again..."

I roll my eyes, snorting. But I dared say no more.

It was true. Our Queen was always watching, always listening, always feeling.

No secrets were safe from the Hive.

* * *

The creaking sound of our cell door being pulled open disturbs me from my slumber, my eyes opening in surprise as the ragged, stooped and bony form of our guest limps into the room.

The Crawler, her soft, weak red eyes instantly seeking me out, makes a happy sound in the back of her throat and limps toward me after shutting the door, her lips pulled back in a permanent display of teeth.

I sit up and shuffle away from her, flinching as her clawed fingers immediately grasp at my face and chest, running over me like curious spiders searching for prey.

"Bill," she purrs softly, nuzzling my chin. "I missed you. How are you this morning?"

Francis, watching silently with Louis close beside him, raises a brow and smirks.

"Well," I reply politely, blushing under her eager gaze. "I'm a little hungry..."

"Food? Of course!" She grabs my hands suddenly and squeezes them, nodding her head fervently. "What do you eat, human? Flesh?"

"Hotdogs," Francis replies jokingly, earning an annoyed glare from me. He raises his hands defensively, laughing. "What? The lady asked a question and I answered!"

"Hotdogs?" the Crawler repeats, frowning. "What is a 'hotdog'?"

"Ignore him," I reply with a sigh. "He's being a moron."

"Well..." She sits down beside me and sighs, resting her ragged head on my shoulder whilst gazing softly into my eyes. "What would you like to eat?"

I take a moment to think about my answer, not wishing to take advantage of the potential services the creature provides. "Uh... what do you have available?"

She frowns thoughtfully. "Not much, honestly. We don't eat that often. I could provide you and your friends with supplies the next time I go on a raid."

"Potato crisps would be great," Francis answers enthusiastically, rubbing his flat stomach. "And soda, if you find some. Just to keep us refreshed."

I give him another glare before turning my attention back to the female beside me, trying to be more polite than my companion. "We'll eat anything you find. We appreciate whatever you offer, Madam."

She blinks slowly and continues to stare into my eyes, sliding her arms around my neck and pressing herself more closely against me as if to try and sit on my lap. "I like you, Bill. You're so... kind to me."

"Thank you," I reply awkwardly, trying to distance myself. "You're a lovely young lady yourself, Miss."

She almost blushes, turning away coyly. "Do you really think so? I haven't been called lovely in such a long time."

Francis, wolf whistling in his corner, ducks quickly when I pick up a bent tin can and hurl it at his head, dodging my attack to return to his whistling.

I sigh, closing my eyes in mild annoyance. They immediately open again when the Crawler, her face suddenly pressed against mine, slides a hand slowly along my thigh in a curious stroking motion, her eyes widening in wonder.

"You're amazingly strong for an older human," she whispers, Francis chortling in the background.

I narrow my eyes on the biker, my teeth clenching together in seething rage. _I'm going to kill you one of these days, boy. Just you wait.

* * *

_

Ta-da! Finally done. Honestly, I rewrote this chapter a whole bunch of times and finally I got a plot that I liked.

I added the Crawler and Bill scene mainly for comic relief, but also to demonstrate how deeply infatuated she is with him. Francis obviously thinks it's hilarious and Louis is... quiet. I'll make him take a more dominate role later on, but he's still pretty freaked out after having tea with the Queen (harharhar), so for now he shall remain silent.

As for Zoey and Fluffy, they shared a sort of kissing scene but I kept it light for the sake of simply creating feeling to the chapter. They're now going to search for the Hive's lair and rescue their missing Jason and company, but with a tiny bit of tension between them. Ultimately, however, their bond still strong.

Little do they know that Jason has been infected by the Queen herself, the process of his transformation already beginning. Her plans with him are unknown, although it is hinted that he shall mutate into a Charger (or will he...?)

The Shrieker is unaffected by the damage done to her the previous chapter and, annoyingly, is still alive. In the scene with 'her' Hunter, I tried to demonstrate their brother/sister relationship and their obvious fear-love for their Queen, and the Shrieker's jealousy of Fluffy.

Tune in next time, folks! Thanks for your time.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. Busy with these exams coming up...

Again, suggestions are the air I breathe. To me, offering a suggestion is like handing a pill to Louis – one is just never enough, but it gives us the strength to move forward, to stay alive. So send them to me! Feed Louis' pill addiction!

Thank you.

* * *

"Argh! Damn it!"

Quickly turning to face my annoyed companion in surprise, I watch her silently for several moments until I cannot resist a smile. Her bandages, now blackened with grime, do nothing to ruin the perfection of her angry face as she swears and curses at the muck that lines the bottom of her heel, her cheeks flushed and eyes flashing.

"Shit, shit, SHIT!" She groans, taking a squelching step forward. "Stupid crap in my boot slowing me down. Stupid battery in my flashlight running out. Stupid eyes that can't see in the dark. I don't know where I'm – OW!"

I giggle, my eyes perfectly adapted to the dark as I easily reach out a hand to pull her away from the mossy stone wall she has crashed into, guiding her down the dank tunnel a few paces behind me.

"Shit, shit, shit," she chants gruffly under her breath, occasionally tripping over the wet stone. "Shit, shit, shit..."

I am unsure of what 'shit' actually means, but I notice how she tends to favour this particular word. It must be a good thing.

"Shit!" she mutters yet again, but more urgently this time as a rat scurries past her boots into the murky darkness before us, her eyes narrowing in distaste. "Little bastard. Come back and fight!"

If only she knew my heart leapt. Such bravery! Even I get nervous around those furry creatures, but she fearlessly challenges them, even without the aid of her strange device, which she calls 'flashlight'.

She's simply magnificent.

"Let's get moving," she mutters as I continue to stare at her with open admiration, her face contorted with annoyance. "Jason needs us and I'm sick of this place. What were you guys thinking when you chose this place, anyway? I mean, seriously! A sewer!"

I tilt my head to one side in bewilderment. "Rar?"

"Why not an abandoned hotel, or an airport? Someplace CLEAN." She taps me lightly on the shoulder to make me walk, huffing impatiently. "This place is probably riddled with disease."

I shrug, not understanding her sudden rant. She could be a little strange, sometimes.

"And, another thing," she continues, waving a hand for emphasis. "Isn't this Queen of yours, like, really big? How does she travel underground in these stupid tunnels? Does she just sit in some big chamber and eat the whole time?"

I open my mouth to answer, but she cuts me off before I can utter a sound.

"And who does she think she is, kidnapping people!" She growls, her grip on my hand tightening painfully. "Hah! I bet she's some fat old slug-thing who gets a thrill whenever her slaves happen to bring in some poor, unfortunate soul for her to torture. I could kick her ass."

I glance at my throbbing hand and whimper, reluctantly allowing her to continue as I lead her around another dark corner, pausing when I realise how far we've come.

"Why are we stopping?" She peers around curiously, unable to make out her surroundings. "Where are we?"

Our tunnel has finally led us to a canal of sorts, knee-deep, foul water branching off into smaller waterways at either far side, metal bars prohibiting any wanderer from going further. To most, it seems like a dead end.

But I know this place.

At the far side, I can see a stone archway and its shattered, rusted old gate, just as I remember it. My own personal exit, now turned entrance. I discovered it a long time ago, when I used to wander these sewers in search of peace and quiet.

I pull Zoey gently behind me as I walk toward it, guiding her through the water until we finally reach the gateway, its reddened bars bent and snapped, exposing a hole large enough to crawl through. I then run a claw slowly over its rough surface and whine, memories flooding me of many months ago, when I fought for my freedom and won.

This is the gate I used to sneak away that night, eventually finding my way through the long, winding tunnel to a manhole leading Outside, climbing onto the surface and fleeing blindly into the city, whereupon I settled into my new home, the warehouse.

And now, I'm going back.

All for Her.

My Zoey.

I turn to face her and grunt, resting a claw lightly over her shoulder. I want to speak, want to soothe her, but I cannot muster the words. I can only touch her, love her mutely, hope she understands.

And she does. I can see it in the way her eyes sparkle as she returns my gaze, her face so close to mine our noses could crush together if we wanted.

Then she simply nods, taking a shaky breath before resting her own hand on mine, stroking it. "It's okay, Fluffy. I'm ready. We can do this."

I smile, my heart thundering within my chest. I then slide my arms around her waist and pull her into a light hug, which she returns, her arms grasping my neck in their own embrace. My face nuzzles itself into her neck, inhaling her sweet scent though my nostrils.

No matter the danger, as long as I have you by my side, I shall be alright.

Zoey...

* * *

"Humans are such messy creatures. The smallest cut and they bleed all over the place." I crinkle my nose in disgust as my eyes roam the trembling, writhing body strapped on a wall before me, blood and sweat running down open wounds to pool at the human's feet.

While watching the man suffer, I absentmindedly run my fingers over my throat, as if feeling for the bullet that was once there. I then smile, giggling as another cut opens in his skin, allowing blood to gush from the wound down his chest. "You're getting what you deserve, human. We'll see how much that girl likes you when she sees the monster you're becoming."

"Monster?" answers the soft voice of my beloved Queen as her icy lips brush the back of my neck, her talons gently enclosing my body like a cage. "Little Shrieker, have I not taught you anything about manners? He's magnificent."

The man moans and twists, his chains creaking as they struggle to contain his steadily increasing bulk. His body, swelling in strange masses over his back and chest, resembles nothing but a grotesque lump of muscle and bone with a face, still trying to shape itself as the venom courses through a rapidly beating heart.

"Magnificent? Mother, are you certain?" I twist around in her grasp and reach upward to touch her face, my hand tiny in comparison to her scarred cheek. "Aren't I the magnificent one?"

She smiles, her black lips parting to make way for glistening fangs that brush against my forehead in a mock kiss. "You are, my lovely. But you mustn't let your pride get the better of you. All my children are magnificent."

I growl, unsatisfied by her answer. "Even that traitor, Mother? The one who fled!"

My Queen's eyes flash with such fury I am forced to look away, my body instinctively trembling as her talons suddenly press painfully into my flesh. "Repeat that, child."

"N-no, Mother," I stutter, afraid. "I'm sorry. I..."

"Leave," she replies softly, releasing me. "I wish to be alone. You have shamed me."

"But..." I grasp onto one of her black tendrils and hold onto it with all my might, tears finding their way into my eyes. "Mother..."

She pauses, peering coldly down on me with her angry red eyes. She then extends a claw and precisely, harshly, rakes it along my back in a slow, jagged line that severs my flesh, forcing me to release her with a sob. "Leave. Never mention her again."

And with that, she's gone, drifting into the shadows, leaving me a broken, bloody heap on the ground with the moaning human watching, his blue eyes locked straight on mine for a moment before rolling into the back of his head in pain, blood dribbling down his chin.

I sniffle, rising to my feet to slowly limp away, but pause after a few paces to glance back at the man. I watch him for a while, feeling pity for the first time. I then shake my head, shoving my feelings aside and quickly vanish into darkness, my sobs carrying through the stone tunnels like melancholy music.

* * *

"I wasn't sure what a hotdog was, but I found bread, tuna, tinned beans and pasta..."

I blush as the eager Crawler deposits all of her hard work into my lap at once, the food she had spend hours gathering pooling over me in a drowning pile. "I... I don't know what to say... this really wasn't necessary, Miss..."

"No, it was no trouble, Bill!" She hands Francis a bag of old crisps, earning a wink from the biker that makes her gaze coyly down at her bare feet, her eyes finally moving to meet mine shyly. "I want to help."

Louis, his eyes locked on a loaf of bread, cautiously reaches to grab it before pulling away again, unsure.

I hand him the loaf and smile, thankful to see him finally moving again. "Enjoy, Louis. You deserve it." I then roll a bottle of water to his feet, sighing sadly as I watch him literally rip the loaf apart and devour it swiftly, occasionally glugging water until it dribbles messily down his chin. _Poor guy. He could do with some meat on his bones._

"Want some peanut butter with that?" Francis manages to ask with a mouthful of chips, waving a jar in the air. "Our hostess found some! Can you believe it? I thought peanut butter went extinct when the Infection started! Unbelievable!"

"What is peanut butter?" the Crawler asks me softly, taking a seat near my side.

"Uh... mashed peanuts." I smile awkwardly as she moves uncomfortably close to my face, her claws wandering through my growing beard with curiosity.

"And what is a peanut?" She tilts her head to one side, her eyes widening.

"Well... it's a nut and... it's a nut..." I blush, thinking of a way to divert her attention somewhere else. "Gee, where did you find all this food? We've been struggling for months."

She turns to the pile, granting me a moment of space. "Oh! Well, I smell it. I always use my nose for hunting, since my eyesight isn't very good."

I glance back at her weak red eyes, feeling slight pity for the creature. "Oh..." I decide to quickly change the subject, however, my face wearing a polite smile as I pick up a can of tuna. "Thanks again for all of this, Crawler. We appreciate it. Really."

She whines happily, throwing her arms around my neck in a tight hug. "Anything for my friends, Bill!"

I cringe, gingerly returning the hug. "Aw... you're too kind, Miss. But, if I may ask, don't the other Infected notice you visiting us so often, or when you found all this food? You could get into trouble."

"Oh, no one pays any attention to me," she replies with a sad smile, slowly releasing me. "I can do what I like, no one cares."

"Why?" Louis quietly asks, surprising all of us.

"Well..." She looks away now, her dark face holding powerful emotion. "It's because I'm weaker than the others, I think. I'm not useful."

"You look perfectly strong," I reply softly, gazing at her teeth. "You look a lot more dangerous than that asshole Hunter."

"I suppose." She slowly looks back up at me and visibly smiles. "Do you really think so?"

"Sure." I nod honestly. "You're rather intimidating, but in a nice... lady-ish sort of way."

She giggles, shuffling closer. "You're such a sweet human. So unlike all the others I've met. They throw thing at me and scream. But not you, Bill. You're kind."

"He does have a way with women," Francis adds jokingly. "Ask Zo-"

I give him a cold glare, stopping him short. "Shut up, biker," I whisper just loudly enough for him to hear, "or I'll strangle you with this jerky."

* * *

Finally! Chapter 11 finished! I never thought I'd get it done, but there we go!

Fluffy and Zoey are about to enter the dark, dank lair of the Hive. I tried to make this scene emotional at the end, but still humorous and light throughout, since this isn't going to be one of those 'dark, scary stories'. It's an adventure... that just so happens to involve zombies. Ahem.

As for the Shrieker, I want you to see how strongly she needs reassurance, constantly trying to compare herself to other Infected whom might become the next 'favourite'. She feels inferior and unloved, which is why she is so jealous toward the strong relationship that was once shared between Fluffy and the Queen, whom Shrieker refers to as 'Mother', since she is a child and the Queen is, in essence, her mother of sorts.

Louis is starting to recover a little, but I won't rush into that just yet. I'm trying to shine a little light on the mysterious Crawler, and why she seems weaker and more friendly than the others of her kind.

Thank you for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Hey guys!

Well, I'm getting wonderful feedback from the audience. I just want to thank you guys again for any ideas you send to me, as they all help me to develop my plot and keep things interesting. You rock!

**To Master Daddy V:** I would love to discuss your OC with you, except I can't, since you've disabled your PM feature. Sorry...

* * *

"Guard duty. Hah! What a waste of my time. I mean, no human is honestly stupid enough to come down here, right?" I fold my arms over my chest and hiss irritably, my gaze lingering on a large grey rat as it lazily wades in a murky pool near my feet; its red eyes gazing intently back at me, ignited by the weak electric lights lining the ceiling and walls. "What do you think, Rat? That moronic Hunter doesn't know how much talent he's wasting by putting me on sentinel. Humph!"

The rodent makes no effort to reply, its tail flicking out of the water to sprinkle droplets on its ragged pelt.

"You're not much for conversation." I snort, scratching my chin idly with a claw. "But that's nice. At least you don't bark orders at me, or call me useless simply because I lost my grip on a human punk one time and had my tongue sawn off. It wasn't my fault that Boomer made him all slippery!"

Still, the rat stays silent, its eyes locked on me as if absorbing my words.

"You know, you and I have a lot in common." I lean back in my rusted stool and sigh, poking at a lump on my cheek with mild interest. "We're both despised, we're loners. And we've got red eyes. Kinda like amigos, you know? I mean, I can't call you a brother, since I'm not really sure whether you're a girl rat or a boy rat, not that it matters anyway. A rat is a rat."

The furry creature releases an agreeable squeak, rolling onto its back to float casually along the stagnant green surface.

As I watch the simple animal enjoy its swim, I absentmindedly reach toward my face and grasp onto my limply hanging tongue, stroking the mottled surface thoughtfully. The appendage has thankfully grown back after the unsavoury incident, but has never quite worked the same since.

No, that's not true. The stupid thing never worked in the first place.

No matter what I tried, whenever I caught some unlucky human prey and tried to reel it in, I would somehow let it slip, my tongue knotting and coiling uselessly against itself as my quarry would easily break free and scramble away.

I've been the laughing stock amongst my fellow Smokers ever since my very first hunt – which was my very first fail, and happened to be the beginning of a series of many embarrassing attempts that never were successful.

I don't know what is wrong with me. I seem normal. The others don't see anything different.

But I am different. I can feel it; a strange emptiness inside. I feel disjointed from my pack, like an outsider that shouldn't be here, useless and clumsy, somehow ruining everything and being the butt end of all jokes and jeers. Indeed, no matter how hard I try to assist Spitter when she has a human almost jellied from her venom, or whenever Hunter manages to subdue another, I always screw things up.

I launch my tongue like a missile, coil it around my prey, pull it toward me and, just as I think I've got it, my grip suddenly loosens, releasing my victim to land unharmed and out of my pack's reach, to allow them an easy escape.

Yep. I'm a real master. No wonder Hunter, the head honcho of our pack, decided that I would be a 'greater asset' to the survival of the Hive if I remained, permanently, on boring guard duty. Here, I can't kill any of my pack unintentionally, or get into any other kind of trouble.

And here I sit, just like I have for most of my miserable existence, simply talking to a rat.

Funny how the rat always comes to swim in that exact same pool every time I'm around, though. Maybe it fancies me? I'd be lucky just to have the affection of a rat. It's not like any of the Infected females would be remotely interested.

Although, Crawler's always nice. Such an understanding creature. Sure, she's not much to look at, but a lovely girl all the same. I wonder where she's been lurking lately... I haven't seen her around much anymore, since Hunter brought in those four human males, one who I hear is being turned into a Charger, and started boasting about some beautiful human female he has plans to turn, or some bullocks like that.

Hah! Show-off. Just because he reeks of sex appeal, he thinks it gives him the right to shove it in everybody else's face. Typical. Our alpha male is getting full of himself. I bet he'll be the Queen's next favourite, pretty soon.

You know what else is odd? That Queen. I mean, I'm not rebellious or anything, but I just don't see what's so special about her. I know she's like my mother, sort of, but she doesn't pay any attention to me. She doesn't pay attention to anybody, matter of fact. Just that stupid Hunter and his brat, Shrieker. Isn't that a little suspicious? And practically none of the others realise it!

It's only Crawler and I who seem to notice. We don't talk much about it, but I can tell it bothers her. Poor girl seems pretty lonely, judging how everyone else treats her. She's an outcast, deemed useless by the stronger members of our pack, shunned and bullied.

Kind of like... me.

I grumble softly to myself and lean further back into my stool, my eyes sliding closed in defeat. "Ah, well. If I'm going to be stuck here doing nothing, I might as well catch up on some rest. Night, Rat."

Several peaceful, sleepy moments pass before I finally feel my body grow heavy and my breath slowly deepens, the beginnings of slumber teasingly tugging at my mind until I begin to drift away in my own dreams, losing consciousness.

It comes as a rather unpleasant surprise when, quite unexpectedly, I feel myself suddenly wrenched from where I slump and then unceremoniously thrown against a cold, dank concrete wall, violently jarring me awake to stare into fiery red eyes burning from a pale, angry face, fangs bared menacingly from parted lips. "What the fu-"

"Sorry to wake you," says a cool, slightly edgy voice from somewhere beside me, a finger suddenly tapping my shoulder to draw my eyes away from the face of my captor to the calmer, but still annoyed face of a human female standing only a short distance away, her dark eyes piercing into mine as she takes a small step toward where I am pinned, resting her hand on my captor's shoulder with obvious affection.

Confused, I glance back at my captor and realise with displeasure that I am facing off with a greatly upset Witch, her face dead still as it hangs over mine and her voice seeping past clenched teeth in a low, deathly growl.

"Not a problem," I reply in a soft squeak, turning back to the human girl and giving her a small, desperate smile. "Can I... uh... help you ladies?"

"Yes," replies the human with a nod, giving the Witch's shoulder a squeeze. "Four human males were dragged down here a few days ago, three at first, and then the other yesterday evening. I want you to tell me where they are – now."

I remain silent, greatly aware of the increased pressure from the razor-like claws pressing into my neck and chest. My eyes scan the human slowly, widening with disbelief as I finally find my voice, small and unsure. "You... you want to come inside...?"

"Yes," she replies patiently, her brown eyes shifting to the Witch beside her. "Would you indulge us with some directions? My friend here is anxious to be moving and I'm a little short of time."

"Friend?" I blink in bewilderment, my eyes focusing on the pale face before me. "You and this Witch are... friends?"

"You're not one to judge, Smoker." The human smirks, her eyes flashing. "Weren't you having a conversation with that rat only a few moments ago?"

If I were I human, I would be blushing. "Oh... you saw that. Right. Uh... yeah, we're old acquaintances... I mean, I sit here every day, so we kind of just met and got to know each other, so-"

"Save it," she suddenly hisses, her patience obviously lapsing. "Where are they?"

"Look, gorgeous," I reply slowly, the Witch's growling increasing in volume and her grip tightening until I flinch, "I don't mean to sound rude and all, but you must be out of your sweet little mind if you think you'll get your friends back." My eyes focus on the human's for several moments, her face darkening slowly. "They're probably half turned by now. Sorry."

"I don't accept that," she replies with soft menace, her brows creasing angrily. "Now, I suggest you talk fast before my friend cuts you into strips."

As if on command, I feel sharp claws press themselves painfully into my flesh until I cry out, my words tumbling in a jumbled, messy torrent from my lips. "They took them to the feeding cells, just a few levels under here! You'll find the entrance through that gate behind me." I point roughly in the direction, my body shuddering. "You'll come to a stairway that goes all the way down, then it will lead into big chambers that you have to go through until you come across a sort of hall lined with metal doors. They'll be locked in one of the cells there!"

"Feeding cells?" The human frowns, suspicion written on her face.

"We store our food, while still alive, in those rooms for a while, before we..." I hesitate, choosing not to finish that particular sentence. "But they've been used to hold humans for longer lengths of time, too, like when we plan on bringing them into the Hive. It's kind of like accommodation, really. A dingy hotel."

She glares at me for a while, sizing me up before sighing and turning away, waving a hand dismissively in my direction. "Let him go. We've got what we need. Come, girl."

The Witch obediently nods her head and slowly lowers me to the ground, turning to follow the human closely behind.

I watch the unusual pair with disbelief as they approach the metal gate I was supposed to be guarding, having been the only intruders to ever threaten a Hive Infected, let alone dare to enter the depths of our lair.

These women must be insane...

I've got to know more.

"Hey!" I trot after them, the two pausing to face me, evidently surprised by my sudden approach and interest.

"What?" says the human with mild annoyance but unhindered curiosity at the same time, the Witch growling close beside her.

"What do you two think you're doing?" I scoff, throwing my arms in the air. "You must be crazy! You two can't do this by yourself! You'll be torn to pieces down there!"

"We have no choice," she replies with a shrug, slowly turning away. "Why do you care, anyway? Shouldn't you be trying to stop us?"

I blink, caught off guard. "Well, I guess so. But how much could I possibly do against something like THAT?" I point in the Witch's direction, earning another growl. "I'm just the doorman!"

"Well," the human says softly, her eyes moving to her pale, powerful companion with an almost affectionate gaze. "If you have this kind of effect on another Infected, I bet we'll have nothing to worry about down there, hmm?" She then extends a hand, ruffling the thick, white mane of the Witch playfully, no fear or hesitation at all.

My eyes widen in amazement at the scene, not believing the unnatural event taking place before me. "Why is she letting you... pet her?" My jaw then drops in utter shock as the Witch, no longer angry and fierce but now excited and pleased, almost seems to mew and arches her back, rubbing herself against the human's chest in return.

"She loves me," the human replies with a smile, turning to face me. "Just because we're different, doesn't mean we can't get along. Now, if you'll excuse us, we must be going."

As they turn and walk away, a strange sense of longing and wonder tugs at my insides, almost urging me to call after them again. But I stay rooted to the spot, silent, watching as they vanish down the stairs with unblinking eyes.

How can a human and Infected possibly get along on friendly terms, let alone love one another? It makes no sense at all. It's against nature!

And yet, there they are - the strangest couple I have ever seen. Allies, friends, their own pack. They're united somehow, in ways I don't understand.

It reminds me of how unwanted I am.

But, could it be possible? Am I losing my mind by even thinking this? I mean, I need a pack of my own since, if I do ever get out of here, I cannot survive by myself with my little 'problem' and, honestly, I have nothing here to hold me back. Leaving would be a blessing.

So maybe, assuming all works well, I could tag along...

It actually makes sense. I'll have freedom, company and appreciation, and that Witch would make a fine bodyguard, assuming I get on her soft side and watch myself around her human pet. Yeah. Not a bad idea, come to think of it.

"Hey!" I find myself suddenly charging down the stairs after the two females, earning surprised stares when I finally reach them, tripping and stumbling my way to a shaky stop a few steps away. "Hold on a sec, lady." I straighten myself up and sigh, the human and her Witch watching me with raised brows. "Think you could... uh... take in one more?"

"Excuse me?" The human frowns now, folding her arms.

"I mean, can I come with you? You know, Outside?" I point toward the ceiling for emphasis, panting. "I can be of use to you. And, between you and I, sweet cheeks, this place is a dump. I bet you and your Witch there have got a cosy little hideout in the city, somewhere safe. Yeah?"

"And what's it to you? Had a sudden change of heart?" She scoffs, turning to walk away. "Nice try. You've got trouble written all over you."

"Wait!" I hiss in a loud whisper, grabbing the back of her jacket. "Please, take me with you! I can help you find your friends down there, free them and get them out of here alive. You can't do it with just two people!"

She reluctantly turns to face me, her Witch growling loudly by her side. "And how do I know this isn't some sort of trick?"

I smile now, releasing her. "Because I give you my word. You can trust me. As long as you and your friend protect me and share your den, I'll gladly pledge my loyalty and service to your cause. Oh, and I need good food, of course. I haven't had a decent meal in weeks and I'm famished, love."

She eyes narrow slightly, not convinced. "I don't know, Smoker. There's something... shady about you."

I raise my hands in defeat and release a sad sigh. "Alright, alright. It's obvious I'm not wanted. Nothing new. Everyone rejects me. I'm just a poor old Smoker, left to fend for himself with the rats, sitting on a stool all day and night with no company." I slowly turn away and shrug, casting my gaze downwards. "But I understand. Who wants to chill with a Smoker, anyhow? You've got your Witch. I've got my rats. I guess it's cool, you know... I'll just go back there and wait for Hunter and the others to come and kill me when they find out I let you two through. But it's okay. Have fun." I then take a step upward, only to be grabbed from behind and pulled back down, my lips curving in a satisfied smirk.

"Wait," she mutters grudgingly in my ear, her grip loosening.

I turn to gaze innocently into her eyes, being sure to sniffle weakly and then shyly lower my eyes again for added effect. "Yes?"

She's quiet for a moment before sighing, gently squeezing my shoulder and averting her gaze guiltily. "You can join us, if you want. I guess we could use the extra set of hands..."

I grin victoriously, but quickly swipe it away and replace it with a sincere smile instead, bowing graciously before her. "You won't regret it, love. Now, how about we find those friends of yours and get out of this hellhole?" I then casually saunter past the girl and catch her Witch's gaze, smirking as the female Infected's eyes flair venomously, her teeth bared in a snarl.

Hmm. She's pretty cute, for a Witch. This new 'pack' of mine might prove to be more fun than I previously thought...

"So, what's your name?" I ask the human casually as I lead her down the winding stairs, moss lining the stone walls in slimy green patches.

"Zoey," she replies cautiously, stepping beside me. "And this is Fluffy."

I pause, snorting back my laughter. "What?"

"Fluffy," she repeats monotonously, continuing past me. "Why? Got a problem with that?"

The so-called Fluffy, her eyes burning into mine, grumbles warningly as she shoves her way past me, allowing a claw to nick my skin.

"No," I reply with a soft laugh, quickly following after them. "I'm just a little surprised that she even has a name. Is she, like... a pet?"

Zoey pauses, her gaze shifting to Fluffy for a moment before moving ahead again. "Well, I couldn't call her 'Witch' all the time, could I? And besides, the name suits her personality."

"Yeah," I mutter doubtfully, raising a brow as I trail them through the darkness. "She's a little bundle of softness, that's for sure."

* * *

"This is a bad wound, Shrieker. There's little I can do to ease your discomfort while it heals."

I sniffle as his cold, gentle hands probe the jagged split in my back, my eyes sliding closed in stubborn determination, fighting to contain the tears that threaten to burst free and trickle down my face in salty streams. "I'm fine, Hunter. She just scratched me."

"She nearly carved you open," he mutters in reply, continuing his work. "You mentioned that Witch again, didn't you?"

I sigh, choosing not to answer. He knows the truth already. Why bother admitting it?

"Your insolence is going to get you killed one of these days," he says suddenly, his tone flat. "I've warned you before to watch your tongue. You're-"

"Enough," I growl irritably, turning to glare at him from over my shoulder. "I'm not a child, Hunter."

He then smiles, his dark features softening slightly. "On the contrary, my love, you are."

I cannot resist a giggle as I tuck myself more securely into his lap and rest my head against his chest, enjoying the comforting feel of my tiny body being enclosed by his powerful arms in a light embrace. "You're a sly one, Hunter."

He chuckles, pulling me closer. "Thank you. Now tell me, how is our newest recruit settling into his new body?"

I frown slightly, remembering the bloody figure that had once been a man, now a beast, chained against a wall, barely alive. "He's... normal."

"Ah, so he hasn't been killed by the venom," my Hunter muses softly near my ear before depositing a kiss there. "He's a strong bastard, I must admit. I was half hoping he'd die within the first two hours, but yet he still persists. It must be torture."

"It seemed to be so. He was in great agony." I shrug, but the gesture does nothing to ease my sudden discomfort caused by the new topic of conversation. "While I was watching him change, I almost felt... pity for him."

Hunter stiffens slightly, his grip on me tightening with surprise.

There's a moment of tense silence between us, finally ending when it becomes unbearable and I grudgingly speak, my voice shaky and unsure. "But that pity is gone. It was a moment of weakness that was likely caused by my... recent wound." I then move away slightly and look him firmly in the eyes, reaching upward to touch his cheek with a palm. "No need to fear, Hunter."

His discomfort vanishes and is replaced with another one of his comfortingly cunning smiles, the hint of teeth visible past his dry lips in a slight grin. "I know there isn't, little one. As long as you're safe, I shall never fear." He then kisses my forehead, giving it a brief nuzzle before he finally releases me and rises to his feet, turning toward the door. "Now, I must leave. Our Queen is calling me."

I sigh and nod, turning away. "I know. I'll be fine, Hunter."

He nods before opening the door and stepping out, closing it quietly behind him. I can faintly detect the sound of his soft footfalls as he pads his way quickly to the innermost chamber; our Queen's den, a place so sacred even I rarely dare to draw near.

Many experiments, in other words; 'new breeds of Infected', have been spawned and died in that room. It also happens to be the place where she prefers to feed and, on the rare occasion, seek the company of a carefully selected companion, depending on its strength, its cunning, or its usefulness to the Hive.

Just like that Witch. She was our Queen's favourite, the only Infected to truly grow close to our Mother. And, like the mistake I always knew she was, that same Witch was the one who broke our Queen's heart, and then had the guts to choose a mere human girl over her Mother and love her instead.

Traitor. I hope she rots.

* * *

I don't want to leave my Shrieker alone, but I feel that, considering the delicateness of the situation between her and our Queen, I feel that it is better that she remains in the safety of her chamber.

When I finally make it to the Sanctuary, my Queen's preferred place of refuge, I am greeted with the familiar tingling sensation whenever she is close, a black tendril winding its way around me suddenly in a gentle embrace.

"Hunter," she purrs from within the darkness of her chamber, red eyes burning down on me from the shadows.

"My beautiful," I reply softly, stroking the tendril. "You're magnificent. You called, my love?"

She chuckles, a wonderful rumbling in her mighty chest that send shivers of pleasure coursing throughout my body. "Yes. I sense a few... intruders in the Hive."

I frown, surprised. "Who would dare, my Queen?"

"That pretty human friend of yours," she answers softly, caressing my cheek. "From what you've told me, her name is Zoey, correct? I assume she's searching for something."

"Him," I mutter darkly, my muscles clenching.

"The Charger?" She giggles now, tilting my chin upward. "She must think he's still a human. Poor thing."

"My Queen," I murmur, bowing slightly. "May I make a request?"

"A request?" She snaps her teeth together with a loud crack, a talon finding its way through the darkness to rest itself over my shoulder. "What kind of request?"

I bite my lip for a moment, then sigh and raise my voice slightly, trying to keep it strong. "That human girl, Zoey. I beg of you, my Queen... make her one of Us... make her... a Witch..."

My Queen's eyes flash suddenly, but she stays still and quiet.

"She would make a fine addition to the Hive," I add quickly, stroking the talon on my shoulder. "She's beautiful and strong. She would survive the venom. She can become one of Us and replace-"

"No," my Queen replies softly, her eyes narrowing now. "My Witch will never be replaced. But I can turn this female for you, if you seem so adamant about it. However, I will give nothing to you unless you return what was taken from me."

I frown now, confused. "What do you-"

"She's here." Her eyes flash again, but with intense desire. "My Witch has returned to me... just as I knew she would."

I'm silent for a moment, then nod in understanding. "Those two are inseparable."

My Queen growls in agreement, removing her claw and seeping away into the darkness, simply drifting away. "Bring me both of them – the girl and my Witch – and I shall grant you what you desire."

And like that, she's gone.

And what I long for so intensely is within my grasp.

She's here...

Now I shall make her mine.

* * *

"... and then there was this one time where Boomer and I found a cow, so he said we should try ride it like Jockey, but I said that was silly, but then he called me a coward, so I said okay and climbed on the thing..."

I raise a brow as the Infected female, her eyes wide with excitement, enthusiastically retells another one of her harrowing adventures to the surprisingly patient Francis, who evidently struggles to maintain a straight face when she reaches the gory details of the cow's unfortunate, but predictable demise.

"... I mean, I didn't see that tree coming, so we kind of just ploughed into it and-"

I quickly cover my ears, watching the now mute scene before me as Francis visibly flinches and makes a gagging motion, Louis' face contorting with a mixture of pity and disgust.

When I feel it's safe to listen again, I remove my hands with a sigh. _She's a sweet girl, but her friends' ideas of 'fun' are a little less than desirable..._

"Poor cow," Louis whispers, a single tear descending over his dark cheek.

"That was... kind of awesome," Francis mutters with awe, casting me a quick glance. "This girl is crazy, but in a really hot kind of way."

"Crawler," I interrupt gently when she seems ready to delve into another gruesome story, "aren't you hungry or something? We've got plenty of food left over. Why don't you help yourself?"

She seems surprised by my offer, smiling shyly before shaking her head and looking away. "No, but thank you, Bill. You're terribly kind. I couldn't... I found that food for you and your friends..."

"Nonsense!" I laugh, handing her a strip of beef jerky. "You're part of the group now. We share everything."

"And he does mean EVERYTHING," Francis adds jokingly, Louis groaning.

Crawler stares at the meat in her hand as if it were a sacred object, a sniffle escaping her throat.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I rest a hand on her shoulder, concerned. "Have I upset you or-"

"No!" She sniffles again, smiling as she turns to gaze happily into my eyes. "It's just that... I haven't been offered anything before. You're so different, Bill. So kind."

I feel a blush creep over my cheeks, forcing me to look away. "Well, you've been so kind to us, so the least I can do is return the favour. It's nothing, really."

She giggles, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me unexpectedly. "Thank you, Bill..."

I gingerly return the embrace, Francis snickering quietly to himself.

"Bill," she purrs in my ear after a moment of silence, nuzzling her face against my cheek.

"Yes?" I swallow nervously.

"I love you." She pulls me closer and sighs in satisfaction, delving deeper into my arms.

Wow.

* * *

There we go! Chapter 12. Tell me what you guys think!

Thank you.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Hello again! Remember to send your ideas to me. Every one counts! Thank you and enjoy.

* * *

A soft, badly tuned whistle reverberates over the grey walls of our prison in a slow, uneven melody, Francis' boots tapping to match the shaky beat as if he were playing an imaginary drum.

The sound, while not wholly pleasant, is a comfort all the same. It distracts me from the irritating sound of dripping water in the distance, its location hidden somewhere I cannot discern, insistent, unyielding. The whistling vaguely mimics a famous song I remember listening to before the rise of the Infection, a time when radios still worked and tunes were broadcasted to attentive ears all over.

It reminds me of home.

"You know something?" the whistler says suddenly, a tattooed arm flexing as the owner raises a can to his lips, taking a slow, savouring sip of his drink.

"What?" My eyes fall on Francis with mild curiosity, my fingertips wandering aimlessly through the greying hair on my chin.

"How long has it been since you had a beer?" He belches in evident satisfaction, crushing the now empty can between large hands before tossing it aside.

I grunt, shrugging. "Months? I don't know. Lost track of time since all the shit started."

"Makes you wander though, doesn't it?" His eyes, tired and puffy, slide closed with a light sigh. "How long has it been? Weeks, months, years. No one knows. No one cares."

"Then why do you ask?" I lower my gaze to stare at my own filthy hands, black grime caked under short, cracked nails.

"Nothing." He shrugs candidly, leaning backward to rest against a dank wall, his eyes slowly opening again to stare at the dark ceiling above. "Just curious."

I bend my blackened fingers thoughtfully, watching the veins bulge, the muscles flex, skin shifting. _These hands are like a book. If you look hard enough, you can read so much about the person they belong to._ That's one of the strange things Zoey used to tell me.

Zoey. How long has it been since I last saw her face, heard her laugh, stroked her hair?

"Do you think," I whisper hoarsely to myself, a question directed to no one in particular, "she ever thinks about us?"

"Huh?" Francis's eyes shift themselves in my direction, a questioning look. "Who?"

"Her," I answer softly, clenching a fist tightly. "Zoey."

"Aw, Bill. Don't start with that again." He sighs loudly, followed by the hissing pop sound of another can being opened. "You'll just upset yourself. Let her go."

"No." I watch him with unfocused eyes as he sips his beverage, my teeth grinding together angrily. "I won't. She's out there somewhere, Francis. Alone. How can I just forget about that and shove her aside?"

The biker growls, glaring at me from over the metal rim of his can. "Bill, I'm as worried about her as you are. But the fact is we can do shit about it. She's tough, street-smart. She'll find a way on her own. Hey, she might even meet some other survivors and head out the city for all we know."

"She wouldn't leave without us," I reply groggily, turning away to stare at the iron door of our cell. "I know Zoey."

"But you just asked me if she's even thinking about us, Bill. Now you tell me she wouldn't grab the chance to escape this hellhole just because we're gone?" Francis scoffs, taking an angry sip of his beer. "You are going to kill yourself if you don't find some kind of distraction."

Ironically, a sudden screaming howl outside our cell jolts us to our feet with a start, ending the conversation abruptly as all eyes glue fearfully on the iron door before us, waiting with baited breath for something to happen.

"What's going on?" Louis asks softly as more howls and the scuffling sounds of a struggle are heard, followed by ripping flesh and snapping bone.

"I don't know," I mutter back, my tight voice barely audible. I step backward and ready myself with Francis close beside me, soft, clumsy footfalls announcing the arrival of an unknown assailant, then the familiar creaking screech as our cell door is unlocked and thrown open, un unexpected face greeting us, etched with fear and worry.

"Come!" Crawler hisses urgently, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me out the door. "We have little time. She's here!"

"What's happening?" I struggle to run after her as she yanks harder on my arm, almost pulling me off my feet. "Where are we going? Who's here?"

She doesn't get the opportunity to answer my questions.

Freezing in absolute terror, she trembles, her eyes locked on a white, panting figure that blocks our way, black claws dripping crimson, fiery eyes blazing.

A Witch, but one unlike any I have ever seen before. Larger, healthier, darker skin and claws almost twice as long.

And she's standing in front of the exit, with no intention of moving aside.

"Shit!" I quickly pull Crawler behind me, glancing around desperately for an alternate escape route. _What now?_

The Witch, watching me with curious, searching eyes, grunts softly before taking a small step closer, raising her claws outward as if to touch my face. There is no aggression in her behaviour, no sinister ulterior motives in her movements.

But the bloody, still twitching corpse of an unfortunate Boomer that lies sprawled near her feet tells a very different story.

Before I can react, a sudden growl startles me and I am gripped tightly by the shoulders before being thrown aside, the Crawler lunging past to fling herself at the larger female with frightening ferocity, massive teeth flashing as they snap shut with a resounding crack, barely missing their target by an inch.

The Witch, furious, screams before slashing in retaliation, but powerful jaws clamp over her claws with a sound resembling the shrill shriek of rubbing blades, smaller, bonier arms wrapping nimbly around her larger, paler limbs in a tight embrace, dark hands gripping flesh.

The two Infected, a writhing mass of flailing limbs, slam each other into stone walls ruthlessly, blood and fabric flying as the two females do everything in their power to rip each other apart.

A deadly dance.

I watch on helplessly, unsure of how to intervene. I'm scared, a feeling I have never been familiar with.

I have a choice to make.

My actions could cause Crawler more harm than good. By trying to help, I might unintentionally distract her, just for a moment, halt her for more than enough time for a claw to slip through her throat and end it all.

Or, I could try. I could separate them, but then endanger my own life my intentionally placing myself between two angry adversaries. If my team try to save me, they could both meet a grizzly fate.

But if I stand here and do nothing, that Witch could very easily prove to be Crawler's undoing.

I have to try... despite the risks.

"Hey!" I wave my hands desperately, hoping to catch their attention. "Stop it! HEY!"

They pay no heed to my screams, almost crushing me as they suddenly tumble and crash onto the floor in the exact place where I momentarily stood, allowing me a second to narrowly dodge their fray and watch tensely as they roll and tussle over the stone slabs, hissing and yowling.

Stronger and faster, the Witch has the upper hand. Kicking Crawler away and easily leaping to her feet, she then lunges forward and grabs the frail Infected's wrists before pinning her to a wall, moving her bared teeth towards her victim's throat for a deadly bite.

"FLUFFY!"

The Witch freezes, her jaws open, eyes widening at the sound of a voice, distant but clear.

Sweat glistening down a bandaged face, dirt smeared over tanned skin, the ragged, filthy form of a young woman comes into view as she charges down the narrow corridor toward me, her black hair, once tied neatly, now loose and flowing freely around her face.

My heart skips a beat as instant recognition connects us, her one eye meeting with mine for a wonderful moment after weeks of absence, a broad smile finding its way to my lips as she screams happily and increases her speed into a full sprint, practically flying.

Zoey...

She was thinking of me, after all.

"Bill!" Beaming and stumbling over her own feet, she closes the distance between us with a crushing embrace, leaping into my already open arms and burying her face against my chest. "You're alright! Oh Bill!"

Stunned, I hug her back, a thousand questions trying to force themselves out at once, leaving my attempts at speech a meaningless jargon of noise. I shake my head and take a deep breath, then squeeze her tighter and say the first thing that comes to mind. "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you," she replies with a chuckle, pulling away to smile up at me. "Surprised?"

"Well, a little. And angry." I place a firm hand over her shoulder and pretend to seem stern, raising a brow. "You crazy kid. You wandered into this shithole, without any weapons or provisions, for an old goat like me and Francis the fart-bag? I mean, Louis I can understand, but really-"

"Shut up!" She laughs, sweet music to my ears. "Admit it, Bill. You're flattered."

"Of course I am." I pull her into another embrace, resting my chin on her silky head. "More than you know. Thank you, Zoey."

She sighs, her hands resting around my waist. "Anytime, Bill."

A loud coughing sound interrupts our embrace, my eyes widening as a Smoker, timid and small, slowly approaches where we stand, raising a hand in a half wave.

"Hi," he says with another cough, his eyes downcast. "I'm with your human friend..."

"Smoker!" Zoey smiles, pulling herself out of my arms to stand beside the Infected, resting a hand over his shoulder. "These are my pack mates. That one over there is Bill," she waves a free hand in my direction. "Then there's the ever handsome Francis over here and finally, that shy guy with the red tie in the back is my good friend Louis. Guys, this is Smoker. He helped me and Fluffy with finding our way down here."

"Hello," Louis murmurs softly, waving. "Nice to meet you."

I raise my brow in his direction.

"Fluffy?" Francis snorts, somewhat half-heartedly, seemingly a little shaken from shock. "Who's Fluffy?"

The Witch, turning a bloody, battered face in his direction, growls loudly, her eyes narrowing with evident annoyance.

"Oh." Francis shrugs. "Hi, babe. Sorry about the tussle back there. Our friend thought you were one of the... other zombies."

"Friend?" Zoey gently places her hand on her Witch's shoulder and squeezes before drifting her fingertips down a long, pale forearm and unclasping the black claws, freeing one of Crawler's wrists, then another.

The Witch takes a step away, but her eyes never leave Zoey.

Shivering, Crawler clenches her teeth together and slowly edges away from the wall, taking the opportunity to stand close beside me, hands clutching onto my arms. "Who is she, Bill?"

"This is my old friend from the surface, Zoey." I smile kindly down at the nervous Infected. "Don't worry. She's a nice kid. You'll like each other."

Zoey extends a hand, grinning. "Lovely to meet you, Missus... uh..."

"Crawler," the Infected replies curtly, ignoring the hand.

Zoey pulls back in surprise, traces of disappointment crossing her features before they are cast aside with another smile, this one more humble. "Sorry about the fight, Crawler. I came down here looking for Bill and the others, but we ran into some guards along the way. Smoker and I were taking care of a couple, when Fluffy started ploughing her way ahead, trying to catch a Boomer that got away... she found you guys too, I see."

Crawler growls softly, her gaze shifting to the silent, watchful Witch. "She could have hurt Bill."

"Oh no, she wouldn't have." Zoey raises her hands peacefully. "She's friendly toward people. She probably mistook you for a threat and-"

Crawler's eyes flash suddenly, cutting the girl short with a powerful glare. "I am no more a threat than that Witch, Zoey."

Fluffy hisses, her mane of white hair bristling agitatedly.

Zoey's body stiffens. "I assure you, she meant no harm. She was trying to help Bill and the others. Now, let's not argue over trivial things and focus on getting out of here. Where's Jason?"

"Who?" I frown as she pushes past, searching for someone.

"Jason." She pauses, turning to look back at me. "You know, the tall, blonde young man who was dragged down here, just like you-"

As my expression changes from confusion to blank emptiness, her voice drifts off into a whisper, her gaze lowering with defeat. "Zoey, I have no idea who you're talking about. No man we know of was dragged down here. I haven't seen him, so maybe he's..."

She sniffles suddenly, her hands squeezing into angry fists. "Smoker..."

The Infected steps forward. "Zoey, I-"

"Where would they have taken him?" she interjects, refusing to tear her eyes away from the ground.

"I heard rumours about a man," he answers softly, "being turned into a Charger. He's being kept in a chamber very near to the Sanctuary, the innermost sanctum, where our Queen resides."

"Right." She suddenly straightens herself again, turning to the Infected. "Show me where to find him."

"What?" I grasp onto her shoulders and squeeze them, shaking her slightly. "Zoey, this is not safe. You tried your best and you've come further than anyone could have expected you to. Don't risk yourself again like this. He-"

"I have to, Bill. Jason was there for me." She gently removes my hands and walks past, standing between the Smoker and Fluffy, avoiding their eyes. "You guys should get out of here. I'm sure Crawler can show you a safe route out."

Louis, his unfocused, tired eyes wide, steps forward and slowly shakes his head. "No. We shouldn't separate again."

Zoey turns to the normally quiet man and smiles softly at him, her voice lowering to a gentle murmur. "Louis, I'd feel a lot better if you and the boys were out of this nightmare. The city has become quiet. The Infected have all been scared off, so the only bastards you'll have to worry about are the Hive. And we'll be a great enough distraction for them, so you'll be safe up there." She then winks. "If all goes well, we'll be out of here with Jason in no time and we'll all leave the city, like the plan was in the first place. Alright?"

"But..." He swallows and takes another step. "You'll need a medic, and I'm the only one qualified, so..."

Her eyes spark playfully, her smile broadening. "Are you sure, Louis? It'll be dangerous."

He tilts his head to one side and frowns as if thinking carefully about the question, then nods, smiling weakly in return. "But I'll need pills."

"And muscle," Francis suddenly adds gruffly, flexing a tattooed arm for emphasis. "Besides, you suck with a gun, Louis, especially when you've been chewing on those crazy meds of yours. What would you do without me there to save your ass?"

Zoey giggles, her mood lightening. "So I guess I have no choice but to let both of you in."

Francis growls, slapping Louis roughly on the back. "Yep. We're your wingmen. And you know that old goat over there won't shut his trap unless you let him come along too."

I feel my cheeks grow warm as her gaze meets with mine expectantly, awaiting my answer. "Well, Bill. Are you coming? You don't need to feel obligated. I'd prefer it if you'd wait for me on the surface"

I sigh, unable to withhold a smirk. "Of course I'm coming. You kids need an adult around." As her face contorts with adorable indignation and she opens her mouth to protest, I reach over to mess her hair, dropping my voice to a subtle whisper, looking her straight in the eye. "Besides, kid. I wouldn't be able to stand losing you again."

She's silent for a moment, then chuckles and leans upward, pecking my cheek. "Thanks, Bill. Let's get moving."

Crawler, her eyes narrowed and teeth bared in that same constant snarl, turns and skulks away, then suddenly seems to change her mind and redirects herself to instead stand closely beside Francis, starting an innocent conversation. "So, Francis. Tell me a little about yourself..."

As the two walk off to follow the now leading Smoker with Louis following close behind, my jaw drops in disbelief._ Unbelievable! I talk with Zoey for two minutes and she goes gallivanting off with the next guy she sees! Humph! Women._

"Sorry, Bill," Zoey says suddenly, interrupting my inner rant. "I imagine she has quite the crush on you. I've probably unsettled things."

"Aw, don't worry about it." I shrug, resting a hand on her shoulder before gently guiding her into a slow walk beside me. "She's just protective."

"Like Fluffy," she adds affectionately, gesturing to the silent Witch that stays close to her side. "Isn't that right, girl?"

I raise a brow in amusement as the intimidating Witch mews softly beneath a grimy hand that caresses her, the opposite of everything I have ever seen from the previous Witch encounters. "How did you two lovebirds meet, anyway?"

"Long story," Zoey answers softly, planting her lips against a pale cheek and earning a series of whines and grunts in response. "I'll tell you all about it along the way. It's quite a tale..."

* * *

Short, ragged breaths pass chapped lips as bare feet pound dank stone, the runner's crimson gaze focused directly ahead of him, wide and nervous.

He must hurry.

Skidding around corners, diving down stairs and shoving past others of his kind, the runner does not stop, does not check his direction, does not question his motives.

He knows these tunnels like the back of his hand. And right now, he has not time to waste contemplating.

Finally, he senses relief as he reaches a rusted, bent iron gate guarded by two Boomers, one on either side, their small eyes watching as he forces himself to a halt before creating a collision, stooped over, wheezing for air.

"What are you doing here, peon?" the one Boomer questions, no sympathy in his warped, throaty growls.

"I must see Hunter," the runner rasps, his voice thin and strained. "Let me through. It concerns the girl."

The Boomers glance at each other, then grunt in shared agreement before turning to pull a lever each, ancient chains creaking as the gate is slowly raised, barely halfway before the runner crawls beneath them, resuming his frantic dash through chambers and past doorways, until finally stopping before the dented, lopsided door leading to a room that is rarely ventured, a place declared amongst his kind as strictly off-limits to all but a few.

The Hunter's den.

Knocking, a foolishly human gesture, he is greeted with a curt growl on the other end, admission to enter. "Hunter, sir... I have dire news." Poking his head inside, the runner glances around the scarcely furbished chamber, his eyes falling on a hooded figure that sits stooped on the end of a torn mattress, back toward the door.

"What is it?" the respected, powerful Infected barks angrily in return, not caring a look at the visitor. "Be quick. Your presence is disgusting."

Most would consider this an insult, but the runner is used to such treatment. He ignores it, summons his courage and then finally speaks, adding as much strength to his small voice as his fragile form will allow. "The prisoners have escaped, sir. I was there. I saw the girl, accompanied by the defect Smoker and terrible Witch..."

"Zoey," the Hunter purrs, slowly turning his head to look over a shoulder in the runner's direction. "Interesting. Continue."

"I was on duty, patrolling," the runner continues, nodding as he explains. "I had come down to check on the cells when the girl came and a fight broke out. The others were slaughtered and in the chaos, I escaped only to bump into Crawler, who shoved me aside and ran for the cell door with the keys. I hid, watched, and saw her unlock the door and... and touch one of the humans, sir..." He shivers, as if the mere thought of such contact was sinful.

"She freed them?" The Hunter rises suddenly, his eyes narrowing. "And you say that the girl has a Smoker with her, as well as the Witch?

The runner nods again. "Yes, sir."

"Amazing..." The Hunter turns away again, suddenly thoughtful. "Our kind... fraternizing with humans... unbelievable..."

"Orders, sir?" The runner shivers, grasping onto the edge of the door with trembling claws.

"Yes, actually!" The Hunter, a strange smile resting on his shadowed face, slowly turns back to his guest and chuckles, tapping fingertips rhythmically together. "Go inform Shrieker of these recent events, then see to our new Charger. I want him ready for battle as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir!" The runner, about to quietly shut the door, is stopped by a decaying hand that suddenly grasps onto his shoulder, pulling him back again. "Uh... yes, sir?"

The Hunter grins down at him with mock friendliness, patting the shoulder lightly. "I want you to relay a message to our beautiful Queen once you've finished."

The runner nods. "Yes?"

"Tell her to relax." The Hunter leans toward the trembling, smaller Infected within his grasp, their noses pressing together as his voice lowers to a whisper. "Tell her that soon, very soon, she shall have what she has longed for, compliments of Hunter." He then giggles devilishly, his eyes flaring jubilantly. "Go now."

The runner, now gifted with a purpose, closes the door and resumes his desperate race against time, feet pounding, eyes unblinking and lungs gasping breathlessly.

He shall be on time. He always is.

* * *

Finally, chapter finished! I hope things are suspenseful enough to keep my kind reviewers coming back for more.

The group has been happily reunited after a bloody battle and chaotic misunderstanding, but now with the new ally, Smoker, and rival for Bill's affection the Crawler (it's obvious that she does NOT like Zoey hugging on 'her man'). But, to the dismay of our favourite movie enthusiast and college student, Jason is not present at the holding cells as she had hoped, meaning only one thing – the Queen has already met with him personally, and has plans on turning him into one of her own.

As we can see, there's some serious jealousy going on between Zoey and Crawler. Louis is becoming more outspoken and Francis is starting to show a more thoughtful side. The gang decides that they're going to kick some serious zombie ass all the way down into the murky depths of the Hive and rescue our handsome blonde Jason from a grizzly fate... assuming it isn't too late.

But the sinister Hunter has plans in store that involve not only Jason, but the wicked Shrieker herself as well. This cannot bode well for Zoey and company.

What will happen? Find out next chapter...

Oh, by the way, last chapter I forgot that Zoey's face is bandaged, so... yeah. Forgive me for that. My humble apologies.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Whoa, been a long time! I apologise for the _hideously_ late update, but I've been so preoccupied with other things, like my time-consuming art studies, that I've ended up neglecting this story. So very sorry, my wonderful readers. Won't happen again! But... just in case...

If I ever linger too long on a chapter in the future, let me assure you now that I have no intention of abandoning this story. Hey, I'm even thinking of creating a sequel when this is done. What do you guys think? Please let me know in a review or message. I do love hearing your thoughts.

Also, the OC I have plans on adding to _Trapped_'s cast of quirky undead characters WILL appear soon. I promise!** (To Zero-Freezer *I think that's your new name*: I haven't forgotten. Your character is going to have a very important role, and will be one of the most vital characters in this story. But I'm not telling you when he's going to feature. That would ruin the whole point of the surprise now, wouldn't it?)**

Again, any suggestions or ideas you have are welcome. Thank you.

Enjoy!

* * *

"The girl? Here? Are you certain of this?"

The runner nods his head frantically, panting heavily as he leans himself against a grimy wall for support. "Yes, I swear it! I saw her... her and the Witch. They've taken the prisoners!"

"Bother," a female voice purrs lowly in response, the owner's gleaming red eyes narrowing with annoyance as she props her chin in her palms and gazes coldly at the opposite wall. "Have you told the Queen this information yet?"

The runner shakes his head, straightening himself up. "No, lady Shrieker. Not yet. I shall go to her immediately and-"

Shrieker, suddenly rising to her feet, turns to face the larger Infected with passionate determination, her teeth bared in a menacing grin. "No, don't. All our Queen wants is that Witch, but I don't! She's too much of a risk, dysfunctional. But the troublesome girl of hers could be incorporated into the Hive... brainwashed, devoid of her memories..."

The runner swallows, taking a frightened step back. "I don't understand... sir Hunter ordered me to-" His eyes nervously dart to the staring, menacing creature that sits loyally at her feet, his voice drifting off to a inaudible whisper.

"Hunter only wants glory, satisfaction, companionship," Shrieker growls, brushing a strand of white hair aside. "He evidently believes that by bringing that Witch back to our Queen, he will be promoted, and receive that girl as his reward. But I, being more sensible, have a different approach. We'll kill the Witch and keep the girl, turn her, and make her a replacement. Hunter will be happy, if only somewhat, and I shall be rid of that Witch while maintaining my position as second in command. Without her, I will never again have competition, and my Queen will certainly realise my potential!"

The runner, confused but obedient, nods his head slightly and turns to leave. "Yes, Shrieker."

"On second thought," Shrieker continues suddenly, making him pause, "do see our Queen, but check on that new Charger first. Get him ready for me, and then wait in the passage just outside." She then smirks, turning away from the lowly Infected with a soft laugh. "When I arrive at the Sanctuary with the Hunter, I shall meet you in the passage and ensure that you have a satisfying speech prepared. Then, when we leave, you will sneak out and pass her my message, which is this; tell her I have dire news to report. We went out to reclaim the Witch, as she desires, but conflict was unavoidable and sadly, the Witch is dead, but I have subdued the girl and have her in my possession. Also, inform her that I have recovered the prisoners, which will be such good news indeed! They'll make fine reinforcements, and with a new Witch and Charger, she should be happy enough. She'll get over it. I'm more than enough comfort for her, anyway. Also remind her that I shall dispose of the Infected misfits accordingly."

The runner is still for a moment, stunned into silence. Then, with one final glance at his young mistress and her still silent, staring beast companion, he sighs, opens to door and steps out, closing it quietly behind him as he resumes his painstaking gallop amongst the watchful eyes of his more powerful cousins.

To report such slander to the Queen is suicide, but so is refusing an order from a higher level Infected. And in terms of levels, Shrieker is only surpassed by the Queen herself, and is even more powerful than the Hunter, with her own loyal following of powerful, mutated abominations.

Her ambition has brought the death of many, and the runner is of no exception.

This will be the last message he ever delivers.

* * *

"This is perfect! Sure, that poor runner won't make it out of the Sanctuary in one piece, but his noble sacrifice will be worth it in the end... in the end..."

Sighing, I seat myself gracefully on the edge of my mattress. "Ah, things are coming together so nicely! Dare I say it, I'm rather excited. Aren't you, my pet?"

A rough, icy tongue brushes itself tenderly over my fingertips as if in answer, and in return, I reach over to run my palm lovingly behind a ripped, floppy ear, white eyes staring unblinkingly up at me, expectant, filled with adoration.

"Seeker, you haven't been out my chambers for some time. Did that human make you sick, hmm?" I grasp hold of a tuft of fading brown fur and gently thread it between my fingers. "I thought he looked a little sick myself, but with so few humans left, we can't be picky, can we?"

His bony, stubby tail wags ecstatically in reply, followed by a low growl.

"Aw. I promise the next one won't be so chewy. I'll find a nice fat one for you, hmm?" Patting the edge of my bed, the Seeker slowly rises to his feet, fleshless muscles bulging with movement as he places his large paws carefully beside me and effortlessly jumps onto the bed, immediately lying down at my side with his large, squared head in my lap.

I lightly finger his exposed ribcage, my gaze drifting across his moist spine. "It was such a shame when that car hit you, and Daddy had to bury you in the back yard for the worms. But even death couldn't separate us, boy. You came back... came back for me."

He whimpers, pawing my leg lightly.

"You're my best friend, boy. When Daddy went bad and killed Mommy, I ran outside. I ran to your grave. Remember it? That little mound under my tree house. I ran, and I sat there and cried. Daddy came, he came at me with an axe, and just when I thought I would die, there you were... alive, but not alive. You came out of the ground, and ripped Daddy apart like in the werewolf movies."

Seeker grumbles softly, his raspy breaths steady and soothing.

"Now you're going to help me deal with that bad Witch, just like you helped me with Daddy. Aren't you, boy?" I smile, brushing a fleck of dirt off his muzzle. "She hurt me, and she hurt you, didn't she? Yes, that's where you got that mean cut on your face when you tried to catch her. It's sad that you don't heal like I do..."

I lightly finger the deep, bloody gash along his forehead, white skull visible beneath the thin membrane.

"We're going to kill her this time, aren't we? You can smell her, can't you? Yes, my little Seeker. You smell everything. You smelled Daddy, and you smelled all the other bad people too. And when we had to go underground, you smelled Hunter, and you knew he was good. And he led us down here, to the Queen. You smelled her too, didn't you? Yes, you smelled her and then she changed me. And now, forever we shall remain."

He cranes his neck to reach my touch, his tail resuming its happy, peacefully wag. The remnants of his collar, now a tattered rag, hangs limply from his broad neck and a gold dog tag rests familiarly against his muscular chest, the name 'Duke' engraved neatly in its glossy surface.

"We've got some hunting to do. We should fetch our friends, shouldn't we? They'll want to join in the fun."

He growls and, as if on command, rises again to his feet and hops off the bed, leading the way as I open my chamber door and slip out unnoticed.

She will pay for what she did. This time, she won't get away. Not from me, or my Seeker.

Today, the Witch will die.

And I'll get the recognition I deserve. But first, I must join my hunter and fetch our new Charger. His strength shall be most useful...

And with that thought, I increase my pace, Seeker at my heels. "Let's visit our old friend, the lovely Hunter. Then we'll check on our Charger and, assuming he's ready and that doomed Runner has hidden as I ordered, we'll set off. Come, boy!"

My loyal hound barks loudly in reply.

* * *

I pace impatiently in my chamber, thoughts spinning madly around in my head.

She'll be perfect. All I need is to get her away from her Witch and use her as a lure, and then they'll both be within my grasp. My Smokers should be more than ready for the task of capturing Zoey, and then I'll deal with the Witch myself while she's distracted, subdue her and then take her back to the Queen. Perhaps I shouldn't bother with the others... yes, killing those men will be so much easier. And then there's those damaged ones... Crawler and Smoker. They'll die as well.

Nodding to myself, I prepare to leave my chamber to begin preparations when the door promptly opens and Shrieker steps inside, followed by the large beast she commands, whom she aptly named Seeker for his extraordinary ability to track. "Oh! My darling, you surprised me. That was fast. I have underestimated my runners."

"I have sent the same runner to prepare our Charger," she answers placidly, stroking Seeker's head. "We should go see to him ourselves, and if he's fit and ready, we can take him along. It should help bring down your girl's morale, and his strength will be a valuable asset to us."

"Agreed." I smile, taking her by the hand as I lead her out the door again. "Let's make haste. The Sanctuary is not far. I trust our beloved Queen has been checking up on him every now and then, as her chamber is only a short distance away from the Room of Change, almost next door."

"She's always liked to stay close to her newborns, to keep an eye on them," Shrieker replies softly, almost wistfully. "Also makes Infecting them so much easier, since she doesn't like to travel. Hard for a being of her size to negotiate these tunnels."

As we pass a pair of lesser Infected on patrol, they immediately seem to grovel, as if fearing some extreme punishment for not acknowledging our superiority.

"Disgusting vermin," Shrieker mutters just loud enough for me to hear as we round another corner, Seeker growling lowly. "Ah! Here we are. Step aside, you three. Hunter, you go ahead and see to our Charger. I have one more thing to do before rejoining you again." She stops just before the entrance, a huge iron gate dimly lit with crude torch like contraptions mounted into the walls, taking a moment to watch the gate as it slowly opens for us to enter. "I'm sure you can arrange everything."

I frown, watching in silent puzzlement as the small Infected suddenly vanishes down another passage into the dark, Seeker in tow. The canine pauses briefly to glance at me, almost warningly, before too vanishing after his mistress, his deep growl reverberating against the walls.

Strange. But, she has her reasons. She always has acted independently, which is what makes her such a valuable asset to the Hive.

After a moment of staring at an empty passage, I shrug and leave her to her business, waltzing past the rigid guards that stand on either side of the great entrance of one of the largest and most sacred chambers in our Hive. "Watcher, is the Charger alive and well?"

The Room of Change, as commonly named, is the extension of the Sanctuary. Just beyond this room, the Queen rests in silence, heavily guarded by her loyal protectors who remain hidden the shadows, protectively embraced by her powerful tendrils. Light is forbidden in her chamber, and as such, most of this room is also submerged in darkness.

But my eyes are not hindered by shadow. In the centre of the great room, a giant stands waiting, his angry red gaze penetrating the inky blackness, pulsating muscle rippling under pale, tight flesh.

"Hunter, he is ready." A small, hunched creature hops to my side, bowing until his forehead almost touches the ground. "He's a fine one, sir. The transformation was gruelling, and I had to restrain him several times as he kept outgrowing his chains, I'm afraid."

"No matter." I wave the creature away and step forward, eyeing the wheezing, quivering beast as it pounds a mighty fist impatiently upon the ground, its huge shoulders pumping with restless energy. "Charger. I sincerely hope you're not as deaf as the last one was."

The beast roars, a flash of golden hair catching the dim torchlight.

"Hmm. I see you're not. Now quiet down before you disturb our Queen." Smiling, I gesture for the beast to follow before turning on my heels, surprised to find Shrieker already waiting, her hound rooted protectively at her side, its head raised anxiously toward the newborn with hateful eyes.

"Let's go," Shrieker says simply, turning to lead the way. Seeker barks, growls and then follows.

As I pass the guards again, lumbering footsteps following me closely from behind, I notice the small, quick shape of a runner as it squeezes past me and scrambles its way into the shadows, toward the Queen's hidden lair.

"Isn't that my runner?" I mutter aloud, pausing.

"Ignore it," Shrieker replies sharply, grabbing me by the arm. "We have more pressing matters. Come, and be quick."

Dismissing my suspicion, I wave a finger to the dark, towering silhouette of the Charger, and it obediently resumes its lumbering walk, swatting a smaller Infected aside as it squeezes its way down the narrow passage, shoulders almost rubbing against both walls.

Glancing at the small, quiet Shrieker at my side, I can't help but notice the small, strange smile playing at her lips. "Keep walking, Hunter." She then chuckles, her voice cold.

And then my Queen screams.

"Don't be alarmed," Shrieker states calmly when I twist around in alarm. "She's simply overjoyed to hear that the Witch is drawing closer and that we shall apprehend her soon. Now stop dilly-dallying. Your Charger is restless."

Trusting my smaller companion's judgement, I release a shaky sigh and follow after her, leaving the silent, menacing guards behind.

* * *

"Lies! How can this be true?"

The runner squeaks within my grip, writhing like a floundering fish on the rocks. He struggles to kick his way out of my grip, going to far as to claw at my scarred arm in a feeble attempt at freeing himself. "Please, let me go!"

I clench my teeth together and hiss, wrenching the tiny Infected off the ground to bring him up to my face so that I may see him more clearly, so close I can see my own reflection staring back at me from his wide, tearful eyes. "You come in here and feed me lies! You presume that because I do not leave this room, I am unaware of what happens in my own domain?" I then squeeze him tighter, to the point his eyes begin to bulge. "Do I look like a fool?" I tighten my grip even further, and blood runs from his nose. "Well, do I?"

Eventually, my grip on his fragile body proves to be too great, and with a loud, satisfying crack and one final gasp from my victim, I realise that I can detect no further struggling.

Staring at the lifeless corpse within my talons, I exhale slowly, my breath rattling within my chest. "Guards!"

Instantly, a Spitter stumbles into my chamber, peering up at me with frightened eyes. "My Queen?"

"Dispose of this," I mutter, reaching down to drop the crumpled heap of limbs into her arms, "and fetch me a new messenger. Now."

Evidently surprised, the Spitter stares at the corpse in her arms for several moments before quickly taking her leave. "Yes, my Queen!"

Several minutes later, a new runner arrives, even smaller and more timid than the last. "My Queen?"

"I want to see the Shrieker and Hunter, as soon as possible." I wrap a dark tendril soothingly around my neck. "And tell them to bring me my Witch and the girl. I tire of this nonsense."

Bowing, he quickly vanishes from my sight.

"Whoever is responsible for this will suffer greatly." I lower myself to the ground in an attempt to relax, several pairs of gleaming red eyes watching me from within the shadows. "My darlings, life is so hard. I would hate to think of my dear Shrieker as a liar, but this information can't possibly be true. I can sense my Witch's presence. She is indeed alive. But why would Shrieker deliberately deceive me? And with this lack of food, I fear I do not have the strength to communicate with her through the Hive. I'm losing my control."

Groaning, I extend a dark tendril to stroke my back in a comforting fashion. "I have a headache."

* * *

"We're getting close. The Sanctuary is just a few tunnels ahead, and the chamber your friend is likely being kept in is just before it. But getting in there won't be easy." Smoker turns to me with a look of mild satisfaction, his chest swollen with pride. "I'm a good guide, if I may say so myself..."

"A lousy fighter, too," Francis replies in a dark whisper. "That slimy coward runs away every time we encounter anything mildly dangerous, even spiders."

"To be fair, those were pretty big spiders," Louis whispers back. "Tarantulas in a sewer? Scary..."

"This is suicide," Shrieker mutters with mild irritation from the back of the group, her raspy, soft voice edged with venom. "Few humans survive the change in any case, and those who do are never quite the same, so trying to find your friend is a waste of time. He's gone. And, seeing as we're almost right outside the Sanctuary, we'll encounter the Queen's guards, who just happen to be amongst the strongest of our kind. You'll never get in."

"We've gotten this far," I reply evenly, readjusting my bandages. "Fluffy's taken out everything we've encountered, and you've been more than a match yourself. We've all got weapons now, albeit simple and crude, so we can defend ourselves. Plus, my group just happens to be specialists when it comes to killing the undead. Less sarcasm and negativity would be very nice, thank you."

"Humph!"

"Crawler, what is your deal with me anyway? It's not like I've done anything to piss you off."

"You're annoyingly optimistic, your friend almost murdered me and you're always hanging on Bill. You've done plenty to piss me off."

"That's only because you're jealous and overly sensitive. And stop bashing Fluffy!"

The Witch in question shrinks slightly, releasing a tired, slightly depressed sigh. _'Here we go again.'_

Before we can resume yet another argument, Bill bravely steps forth, choosing to quickly change the subject. "So, how ARE we going to get in?"

Smoker, who had been enjoying the show, mutters something under his breath before turning to glare at Bill. "Why did you interrupt? I hoped that this time, they might actually tussle..."

Fluffy growls threateningly, and he quickly shuts up.

"If we _must_ go in there," Crawler mutters sarcastically, casting me a cold look, "stealth is practically pointless. The Queen definitely knows of our presence, seeing as several Infected have been sent to hamper our process already, and it's more than likely that the Hunter and Shrieker are plotting something as we speak, since they're her henchmen. In all honesty I'm amazed we've gotten this far so quickly anyway, regardless. I always felt these tunnels were, dare I say it, longer."

"My shortcuts!" Smoker grins, earning a scowl from her in response. "What? If it weren't for my leadership skills, it would have taken way longer to get here!"

"Anyways, as I see it; we might as well just charge in there and dispatch the guards, and whatever else she throws at us. Smoker is right about one thing - he's saved us some valuable time and, hopefully, the others haven't been able to mobilise properly." She turns to me and groans. "So, Amazon. Do you approve?"

"Sounds like a good plan," I reply with a nod, turning to face my group. "Are you guys sure you want to do this? You've come this far, and I honestly would prefer you to meet me outside."

"Duh," Francis says with a goofy smile, slapping Louis roughly on the back. "Me and 'Doc' here will watch your back while you fetch your boyfriend. 'Old Goat' will stand loyally by your side, and 'Fluffinator', 'Jaws' and 'Useless' will take up the front lines. Right, guys?"

Fluffy nods, Crawler groans and Smoker frowns. "Who's 'Useless'?"

Bill, smiling warmly, steps forward to gently pat me on the shoulder. "I'm with you all the way, kiddo. You're not in this alone."

Holding back the urge to sniffle, I nod my head and smile back, wiping a tear out of my burning eye. "Thanks guys. You're the best."

"Please don't cry," Crawler adds with a sigh, "it makes my stomach ache with the temptation to eat you."

"Since when do we get code names?" Louis whispers loudly in Francis' ear.

"Like them? Just thought 'em up now. I'm 'The Mutilator'." He waves his rusted, bloodstained section of pipe threateningly at an imaginary assailant, then swings it as if it were a bat. "I make things dead. Very, very dead."

"Let's get this over with," Crawler grumbles, skulking past me to follow after Smoker. "Come on, Useless. You can walk a little faster."

"Hey! Since when did you start calling your old buddy names? We have history!"

"This is going to be a long walk," Bill murmurs with a sigh, taking my hand before pulling me after them. "Better get a move on. Your prince charming awaits us!"

I just hope we stand a chance.

* * *

Dun-dun-dun! I updated! Fancy that!

The Seeker character is, as you've by now realised, a mutated dog which somehow raised itself from the grave when the infection hit, returning to life after being triggered by the panic of his owner, the once-human Shrieker, when her Infected father had tried to kill her. I added him to the story to give Shrieker a more childish, sad image (since I've portrayed her thus far as a heartless little bitch) and to give her a interesting companion to interact with without having to constantly use Hunter all the time.

The runner is just a common Infected, as one of my reviewers already guessed. He's not really important (which is why his name has no capitals, since he's not a unique species of Infected, but merely a common fulfilling a certain role).

The Watcher resembles the Jockey, but he's more sentient. He'll probably feature again a little later on.

More freaky species will be introduced to you very soon. If you have OC's you would like featured, send me detailed info in a review/PM and I'll get back to you! Remember, your OC can be Infected or Human, I don't mind. Also, be patient for your OC to feature. I have a very stressful life, so I can't sit here and type chapters all day (although that would be great.)

Also, this chapter might seem a little vague. Any questions you have can be sent directly to me, but I will explain everything to you next chapter.

As for me, I'm out. See you next update!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Howdy, y'all! How you guys doing? Good? Fabulous! Then let the chapter commence!

Again, comments, suggestions and OC's are welcome, Infected or otherwise. Questions can be sent directly to me, and if you guys are enjoying this, there _could_ still be a sequel. Well, either I'll write up a sequel, or this story will become tremendously long. We shall have to see...

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

"Shrieker, is his presence really necessary?" My nose nose wrinkles in disgust as I lean over her shoulder to peer past the rim of the cavernous pit below, staring into its murky depths. "His stench is worse than this sewer."

"Be still," she coos softly in reply, stroking my arm affectionately. "I'm aware of your distaste for the miserable wretch, but his talents will be invaluable. Do you want your girl or not?"

I scowl and take several steps back, turning to face my pack of Smokers, who stand erect and still, patiently awaiting their orders. "Fine. Call him up. Let us hope his smell does not give us away."

Nodding, Shrieker crouches down at the very most edge of the pit, her hair cascading in silky white layers around her face. Taking in a deep breath and holding it in for a moment, she pauses before releasing it again in a soft, musical hum, her voice echoing as it travels down the great cavern and reverberates into the winding, mazelike work of tunnels beneath our feet. She then rises again and folds her arms expectantly, her eyes scanning the dark for any movement.

"I hope he didn't hear you," I mutter, growling. "Jockeys are bad enough. This-"

"Shush!" she replies sharply, giving me an irritated glance before quickly resuming her watch. "He'll come. Especially if human flesh is involved."

"Going to let him eat the prisoners?" I chuckle. "You're delightfully sinister, my darling."

At that moment, the familiar sound of heavy, wheezing breaths, coupled with the grating music of churning concrete and earth, announces the burrower's arrival. I groan.

"Stand back," Shrieker tells the others calmly, watching with mild satisfaction as the ground beneath her begins to tremble and shake, shivering with the incoming force from below. "He makes quite an entrance for a little man."

As if triggered by some sort of switch, an explosion of earth, rock and worms suddenly spews forth from the pit like a muddy geyser, and when the chaos clears, the naked head and torso of a man, hunchbacked and pale skinned, is revealed.

"You called, my lady?" the creature rasps, parting his mud caked lips to bare large, yellow buckteeth in a sly grin. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, but I was just having a little snack when I heard your sweet little voice calling to me from the outside." He then belches, the bone of a rodent or lizard flying from his jaws to land at her feet. "Whoops! Excuse me."

"Disgusting," I growl under my breath, staring at the bone with narrowed eyes.

"Mole." Smiling, Shrieker kicks the bone aside and steps forward, offering him her hand to sniff as his small, milky yellow eyes stare unseeingly at the ceiling. "I have need of your assistance. Call it a little 'pest problem', if you will."

Pressing his large, scarred nose against the palm of her hand, he inhales deeply and sighs. "Dear Shrieker, you smell as lovely as a summer's breeze. Like the Queen herself!"

"I doubt you've ever smelt a summer's breeze," she replies with a slight bow, "but you are sweet for saying so nonetheless. Now, let's get back to business. Our Queen wishes for us to run an errand, and you're going to help us. Aren't you?"

He nods his head ecstatically, flecks of dirt falling from his flabby cheeks. "Of course! Our Queen's wish is my command! What would she have me do?"

"It is of the utmost urgency." She turns away from him, subtly brushing dirt from her hand on the hem of her faded dress. "Humans are involved."

At the mere mention of human presence, his blind eyes light up with intrigue. "Humans? Actual humans? Here?"

"They're trying to get into the Sanctuary," she replies lightly, moving to stand beside me, patting Seeker's head as he sits on his haunches at my feet. "A group of three males and a female, accompanied by our traitorous friend Crawler, and that reject Smoker. You know the one... tongue-tied."

"And you wish me to ambush them?" Mole's voice shakes with barely suppressed excitement, his great, claw-like hands scraping eagerly at the dank, cracked concrete surrounding his hole. "And... and when I do... I can eat them, yes? Oh Shrieker, I'm so hungry... haven't had proper flesh for so long..."

"Silence!" I bark irritably, tightening my hood. "You will get your meal, but you may not touch the female! She is mine."

"How noble of you," Shrieker mutters darkly, jabbing me roughly in the side. "We NEED those humans, Hunter! Don't encourage him."

"Really?" I scoff, running a finger teasingly behind her ear. "Can't we just let him eat them and get it over with? Surely they're not that important, considering the trouble they've caused. And our feral brethren of the Outside aren't posing any threat to us. Why do we need the extra numbers?"

"I promised the Queen she'd have those humans!" she whispers back anxiously, Mole tilting his ragged head slightly to the side as if trying to catch the conversation. "You know what she's like, Hunter. She'll want those humans, after I've just sworn to bring them to her!" The desperation in her voice is evident, and her eyes flair determinedly. "I MUST bring back those humans."

"Aw. But we have our Charger. He can easily compensate for those measly humans." I smile, gesturing to the looming figure standing close at my side, blond tresses of hair handing limply over a great, bulging neck as the mighty creature stares angrily down at the floor, grumbling loudly to itself.

"Don't argue with me!" she hisses between her teeth, her temper flaring. "Besides, I have plans with that Charger that don't involve the mindless squashing of a few humans. You shall give him to me for this ambush."

I remain silent for a moment before reluctantly sighing, nodding my head in agreement. "Fine," I reply softly, bending down to peck her on the cheek. "But just think how Mole's dear little heart shall surely break."

Groaning, she turns her attention back to the small, hunched Infected as he turns his head blindly this way and that, sniffing the air. "Mole..."

He twists back to face her with surprising accuracy, smiling. "Shrieker?"

"No humans," she answers shortly, his smile vanishing. "These ones are immune. Our Queen needs them to increase our numbers. I'm sure you understand. But you may eat the two rejects."

He sighs, nodding his head slowly. "Yes, Shrieker. The Queen's wish is my... command. So, what must I do with them?"

"You'll not be focusing on the humans," I answer sharply. "Your job is to remove the Crawler and defective Smoker. Kill them, eat them, whatever you wish. Just get rid of them. My Smokers and I shall deal with the humans."

"And Seeker, Charger and I shall have the Witch," Shrieker adds softly, brushing her tongue over her lips with satisfaction. "See, Hunter? Told you I had a plan."

"Kill the Infected traitors," Mole mumbles irritably, digging one of his giant claws up his left nostril, "and leave the humans alone. I don't like this plan."

"Too bad." I chuckle coldly, turning away from him. "I'm certain you'll be able to locate them quite easily. They're probably somewhere on the outer perimeter by now. Your kind can feel vibrations in the earth, or some nonsense like that, correct?"

"Yes," Mole replies miserably.

"Well, feel for lots of footsteps." With a final laugh, I rejoin my pack, waving my hand in a silent command to move out. "Oh, and beware the Witch. She's the One that got away, if you catch my drift. She'll put up quite a fight."

Mole's eyes bulge. "THAT ONE? B-but, my minions are not used to dealing with such ferocious-"

"You'll manage," Shrieker interjects with false kindness, turning to follow after me. "Besides, you're mostly just a distraction. Hunter and I need you to cause a scene. That way, we'll easily snatch the girl and her friends."

"And the Witch?" he squeaks nervously, hiding his face behind his claws.

She pauses, turning to face him with a sly grin. "Leave that to me."

"But, she's being recaptured, correct?" He peeks at her from over his claws as if actually able to see before quickly hiding himself again. "How'll you manage it? She's s-scary!"

Shrieker chuckles. "I'll think of something. And I'm sure Seeker and Charger are more than capable under my leadership."

"Well, seeing as you're so capable..." He gulps loudly, slowly lowering his claws to gaze blindly up at the ceiling. "Perhaps I could be of assistance? You know, to surprise her for you, while my minions deal with the Crawler and Smoker. I mean, I could grab her from below, and you'll keep her from killing me, right? Then we could both be rewarded when we bring her back!"

I frown in disgust, my fists clenching with annoyance. "That really won't be necessary. Shrieker is more than capable-"

"Oh, please!" He claps his claws together in excitement. "I so desperately want to please my Queen! I could be of great use to you, Shrieker! I'll grab her, Charger will knock her unconscious and carry her, your doggy can stand guard in case the nasty Witch were to suddenly wake up again, and you'll lead us with your commanding, musical little voice! Just imagine what a fine team we'd make! "

Unable to suppress a snigger, I quickly silence myself as Shrieker tosses me a foul glare. "Oh yes. I can see it now!"

"Uh..." She groans, waving her hand at me in an angry gesture before turning back to the pleading Mole, his claws cupped together as if in prayer. "Oh, fine. You can help. But don't get in my way!"

He nods his head rapidly, then plunges back into his hole in another shower of dirt and rock. "I'll search for them right now. Should I wait for you when I find them, or just strike them and hold them until you arrive?"

"Go ahead of us and distract them," I reply with a tired shrug, turning to follow the quickly disappearing shape of my pack, Shrieker following me close behind with Seeker in tow and the lumbering Charger mindlessly trailing after us. "Do whatever you want with the two Infected and detain the Witch. Just don't touch the humans!"

The sound of his frantic clawing, followed by those of his own brethren under my feet indicate that he and his pack are already on the move, swiftly tunnelling their way toward whatever distant vibrations they can pick up. "If I didn't know any better, Shrieker, I'd say he has a crush on you."

"Shut up," she snaps softly, growling. "He has a crush on the Queen, but he's disgusting. I'm the closest he can get to her."

"Aw, Shrieker. That's cruel!" I laugh, one of my Smokers joining me. "How do you ever expect to grow close to anyone if you keep shutting down the stupid fools that dare to try?"

"You're enough of a pain to have to deal with," she replies with mild affection, masking it with a straight face. "A boyfriend on top of that? I'd end up eating him."

"Not even a Tank?" I whisper innocently, eyeing her.

She's silent after this, but her thoughts are easily betrayed by her small, mischievous grin, her eyes twinkling slyly.

* * *

"Alright, guys. Let's take a two minute break. My thighs are screaming murder at me." Grunting with effort, I slowly seat myself down on the edge of a pipe, laying my weapon at my side. "Whoa, this place is a labyrinth. Endless, directionless walking!"

"Should I rub them for you, Zoey?" Francis smiles, taking a seat on a pipe running along the floor opposite me, flexing his large, gloved hands for emphasis. "I do great massages. You must be under so much stress!"

"Nice try, Francis." I chuckle, turning my attention to Bill as he wearily takes a seat beside me. "How you doing, soldier?"

"Back trouble." He smiles, placing a hand on Crawler's shoulder as she snuggles herself against his side somewhat comically, secretly glaring daggers at me. "Don't suppose Francis would be kind enough to rub that stress out of me."

Francis mutters something dark under his breath, Louis shakily sitting himself down beside him. "Well, Zoey wouldn't have had to walk so far if 'Doc' here hadn't been so adamant about avoiding a little nest of spiders that happened to block our path," Francis suddenly exclaims. "We had to double back and find another tunnel after that performance."

"Nest? NEST?" Louis folds his arms angrily over his chest and huffs. "It was an infestation of hairy tarantulas, Francis! The floor was a moving mass of fuzzy, black _things_! We couldn't possibly have gone through that, and besides! Why didn't you go and 'mutilate' them if you're so brave?"

Francis chuckles, giving the man beside him an affectionate punch in the shoulder. "I'm just playing with you, princess. Besides, I hate spiders just as much as you do."

"That's saying a lot," Bill adds softly.

My attention drifts over to Fluffy, who remains rooted to her feet despite the rest of us sitting down to rest, her eyes glued intently to the floor as if watching something greatly fascinating. "Fluffy, you alright?"

She growls lowly in response, her eyes remaining glued to the floor.

Smoker, on the other hand, seems completely relaxed. Standing close beside her and smiling charmingly behind his limply hanging tongue, he leans over slightly and subtly wraps an arm around her shoulders. "So... why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?" he suggests softly, lowering his voice to a suave, wheezy purr. "You're rather mysterious in your silent, vigilant ways."

She growls again, bending down to paw at the ground with a claw, ending his romantic embrace without a thought.

"What's wrong, sugar?" He quickly bends down and grasps her hand, evidently trying to avoid the gleaming claws that tip every finger. "Am I making you nervous? I have that effect of the opposite gender, do not be alarmed."

I giggle as Fluffy's eyes tear away from the ground to meet his in fear, her jaw dropping in a silent exclamation of shock. "They make a cute pair." _I wonder if Fluffy ever had someone in her past life. I don't see any rings on her fingers, so she probably wasn't married..._

"He's just happy to meet a woman who doesn't try to rip his head off," Crawler replies nonchalantly, absentmindedly stroking Bill's bearded jaw line. "I'd have gone for him myself, but I prefer men with more... facial hair."

Bill clears his throat uncomfortably. "That's very nice, Crawler. I'm sure you'll meet that man very soon."

"You're such a tease," she replies softly, giving me one final glare before burying her face against his neck.

Choosing to ignore the obvious challenge, I turn back to Fluffy and watch in amusement as she politely tries to pry her hand out of Smoker's grip, her eyes darting around nervously.

But something isn't right with her.

Whining, she unexpectedly shoves Smoker back and resumes her stare at the floor, this time pacing, occasionally pausing to slash at the ground with a claw, then rising again to resume her strange ritual.

"What's she doing?" Francis asks me softly, frowning.

Crawler, pulling away from Bill, watches Fluffy with her dull red eyes, obviously struggling to see as she squints and leans forward. "She's likely uncomfortable because Mole's tunnel runs below the sewers in these parts, so close to the Sanctuary. I don't like this place either, but with Bill by my side-"

"What's this 'Mole'?" I interject, my gaze never leaving Fluffy.

"A burrowing infected the Queen created by accident. He usually skulks around underground, sometimes popping out to grab an unwary human from the surface." Crawler picks her large teeth with a claw, leaning herself casually against Bill's shoulder. "The captured human usually gets dragged down some dark tunnel somewhere, whereupon it is swarmed on by dozens of Mole's vermin brethren, and is then eaten alive. Well, partially alive. Mole has many creations just like him, you see, created after he proved his usefulness to the Queen."

"Is he particularly dangerous?" I turn to look at her anxiously. "He's really got Fluffy worried."

"Dangerous?" Crawler chuckles, her bared teeth almost forming a smile. "He's extremely dangerous. Not because he's particularly strong or intelligent, but because he hunts in a pack and always catches his prey by surprise. Sort of like Hunter, except he IS intelligent and powerful." She pauses, tapping her chin with a claw. "Sort of attractive too, the way he pounces on things."

"You were saying?" I motion for her to continue.

"Oh, excuse me." She clears her throat. "When you're being dragged down a dark tunnel, you can't really fight back, especially since your arms and legs are already being consumed while you scream and squirm around. They eat on the go, you see. That's one of their advantages."

"Lovely." I swallow back the lump in my throat. "What else?"

"In combat, Mole and his kind are savage and quick, despite their small form and blindness." She yawns, her mighty jaws opening wide to show her black, fleshy tongue as it stretches leisurely from within her dark, cavernous mouth. "Imagine me, only smaller and uglier, suddenly and quite randomly popping out of the ground to take a bite out of your leg with my fine array of teeth, before suddenly wrenching you into the hole I came from, slowly eating you as I drag you along rocky, uneven tunnels. That should give you an idea of what I'm talking about."

I remain silent for a moment, my eyes glued on her savage teeth as they suddenly snap shut like a sinister bear trap, almost with relish. "I can see why that would be frightening." _This girl wants to bump me off. I know it! One of these days, when my back is turned, she's going to sneak up on me and-_

"Don't fear, girl," she adds with a low growl, her naturally soft, raspy voice holding a hint of playful suggestiveness as she brushes a tongue over her great teeth. "I promise I won't be popping out the ground to take off your lovely legs any time soon, as it would probably upset Bill. Although, you do look rather tasty."

"If I didn't know this was a threat," I reply mildly, "I might mistake this as flirtation."

She tilts her head to me and grins. "You're a smart girl, then."

"Shouldn't we get going?" Louis interrupts us softly, rubbing his hands together uneasily. "I don't think Fluffy over there likes this place."

Indeed, she seems to be growing increasingly agitated, staring at the ground with such intensity her fiery eyes might cause the stone slabs to crack and melt away.

I rise to my feet with a painful grunt and scoop up my makeshift weapon, a small section of pipe, before painfully making my way to her side. "Easy, girl. Let's get out of here. Would you like that, hmm?"

She turns to me and whimpers, settling down slightly. "Rar..."

"Yeah." I rub her affectionately on the head and take her by the claw, gently guiding her after me. "Smoker, would you take the lead again? We better find another shortcut, or my legs are going to fall off."

"Mine too," Louis adds softly, following after Bill and Crawler. "And I hope there aren't any more spiders. They're such horrible creatures."

"You know, that leg massage is still up for grabs!" Francis calls to me from the back. "I know it may not look like it, but my hands are really soft! I rub cream on them!"

"I could use a massage," Crawler mumbles somewhat hopefully, Bill sighing loudly in reply.

"Guys! Remember why we're here in the first place." I turn to my group and attempt a serious frown with what little of my face is exposed, my bandaged wounds aching considerably with the effort. "Jason needs us. We'll worry about massages and spiders when we get him back."

"Is your friend good looking?" Crawler asks suddenly, Bill practically falling over himself.

"Very." I smile slightly. "All the more reason for you to walk faster." I then turn my attention back to Fluffy, whose gaze remains firmly locked onto the floor, her dark lips drawn together in a tight line. "You alright, girl?"

She mumbles softly, half acknowledging me, half dismissing me.

"This place must have been too terrible for you." I reach over to rub her softly in the side. "Don't worry, girl. I won't let anybody hurt you." _Not that I could do very much if, lets say, a Tank or something was to jump out from around a corner and go "BOO!", but I've got to keep her spirits up..._

She turns to me and smiles. "Rar?"

"Of course!" I grin broadly, nudging her playfully. "I'll have you know, I can be very frightening."

"To a mouse," Crawler interjects.

"Hey! Backseat driver!" I pull my tongue out at her, then smile back at Fluffy, winking. "Ignore Happiness over there. She's jealous."

Fluffy mews softly, nodding. 'I don't know what her problem is, but she's a major pain in the ass.'

Laughing, I reach upward to stroke her cheek, pausing as a strange, sudden rumbling beneath my feet draws my group and I to a halt, all eyes glued to the floor. "What was that?"

A dark, fine crack forms itself in-between the stone slabs under Fluffy's feet, branching off and spreading as the rumbling increases in volume, stray cracks passing under my boots.

"That's weird," Francis mumbles. "Zoey, did you just gain like a hundred pounds or something?"

I glare at him, extremely annoyed. "Ha-ha. That's very nice, Francis." My gaze then shifts to Crawler, and I'm surprised to find the normally snide Infected staring at my feet with a startled, tense expression on her face as she steps away from the group, sniffing the air frantically.

"I don't think that's Zoey," Bill says slowly, taking a cautious step toward me. "Girls, I think you should-"

Fluffy barks suddenly, and without a second's delay, grips me by the front of my jacket and picks me off the ground with ease, yanking me to the side before the ground beneath her collapses with a loud crack, dropping her downwards, her white head vanishing into the ground with a panicked yowl.

"FLUFFY!" I hit the ground hard, lying on my back, dazed, watching helplessly as Bill charges toward me, hands outstretched. _What the fuck?_

"Zoey! Are you okay?"Just as Bill skids to a halt at my side and bends down to offer me his aid, something wet and elastic viciously slams him in the back of the head, throwing him against me. "Argh!"

Holding the stunned man in my arms, I watch in silent horror as the elastic, slimy appendage slips itself around his neck and tightens, coiling around him like a skinless serpent. "Bill...!"

He sits up to look at me, blinking as he sways dizzily in my embrace, his hands reaching up to feel the thing that grips his throat. "Zoey... Zoey, what-" Crying out when the wet appendage tightens again, he claws at my jacket in desperation before he is suddenly wrenched from my grip, violently pulled backward. "Ayack!"

"BILL!" I scramble to my feet and pick up my pipe, clutching onto it tightly. I rush forward in the hopes of grabbing Bill's flailing ankles, but Fluffy's angry screech calls me back, and I am left rooted to the spot, glancing fearfully between the two, unable to choose between them. _What do I do? WHAT DO I DO?_

Crawler shrieks, charging after Bill. As she dashes past me, the earth beneath her explodes, and a rotting pair of clawed, gnarled hands shoots upward, reaching out to grab her from the dark cavern below. She leaps, but the claws grip at her ankles like entangling vines, swiftly pulling her back down, slamming her against dank stone before viciously yanking her backwards, pulling her lower half into the hole as she kicks and screams for escape.

_The Moles...!_

Before her hand vanishes from sight, I skid over the dank stones and grab it, holding onto her tightly. "DAMN IT! LOUIS! FRANCIS!" I glance around for my team, my eyes widening in horror as I watch Louis, entangled within a dozen tongues, is easily dragged toward his doom, kicking and clawing in desperation. "NO! LOUIS!"

Francis runs forward to help, smacking incoming tongues aside with his pipe before his ankles are gripped by a lower, well aimed strike, wrenching his feet out from under him and throwing him onto his back, his pipe flying out his hands to clatter to the ground at our ally Smoker's feet, his body trembling fearfully as he watches his human companions fall around him.

"HELP HIM!" I scream, struggling to keep myself out of the pit as Crawler is yanked roughly, almost escaping in my grip, my arms nearlypopping from their sockets as I struggle to pull her back up.

Smoker glances at me, then at Francis, his tongue flexing. He whines, arches his back and, filling his chest with air, fires his tongue forward to grip Francis' flailing wrist, Smoker almost tumbling off his feet in the process as he tries to win a tug-of-war with two opposing Infected, his small body quivering with the intense effort. He pulls backward, howling, his tongue stretching and twisting with the strain, his fists clenched into tight balls.

At that moment Crawler screams and kicks forward, managing to push herself partially out of the pit until her shoulders are exposed, allowing her flailing free hand to grab one of its edges. She then growls, her weak eyes meeting with mine in a mixture of anger and pain. "Stupid girl! Let me go and help the others!"

Tears streaming down my cheeks, I shake my head and pull, forcing myself onto my knees. "No way am I gonna let you die, stubborn bitch! Now shut up and help yourself!"

Francis, fighting a battle of his own, grips onto the ally Smoker's tongue like a rope and tries to regain his footing, only to have another tongue wrap itself around his waist and yank him backward.

Smoker screams, his tongue suddenly ripping apart in a shower of dark crimson, the severed half still gripping faithfully onto Francis as the biker is dragged into the awaiting horde of Infected. When the realisation hits him, Smoker stares sorrowfully down at the bleeding, shredded appendage that hangs limply from his jaw, his eyes widening with anguish as he cups his trembling hands to catch the drizzling blood that flows down his chest.

"SHIT!" I almost lose my footing, Crawler hissing in pain. "Hold on! Please, hold on! You're too stubborn to die!"

She shakes her head, gritting her teeth together. "Get out of here, stupid. Save yourself."

"Never!" Jerking, a sudden idea pops into my head. Removing one of my hands from Crawler's wrist, I grab the pipe which lies discarded at my side, making sure to aim with the sharp end. "I need you to give me a view of whatever the hell it is that's got you! Pull, bitch!"

She hisses again, pressing herself against me, exposing a clawing, gnarled hand that digs into her hip. "Don't miss, kid!"

"I never miss!" I grit my teeth together and pull her further upward, my eyes locked onto her bucking hip as an arm, short and thick with muscle, coupled with powerful, grotesquely large claws, reaches up to try to grasp her, shredding deeply within her dark flesh. _Shit, at least, I hope I never do!_

Finally, a head pops out of the hole and shrieks, its jaws parting to bare yellow, monstrous buckteeth, the mole-like humanoid diving itself upward to bite Crawler's exposed, vulnerable neck.

Seizing the opportunity, I plunge my pipe into the mole-man's bottom jaw, watching with satisfaction as the tip of my weapon pierces through the back of his skull in a shower of blood and brain matter, his tiny eyes popping out of his head.

He releases his victim with a gurgling moan and limply falls into his own hole, never to hunt again.

Crawler groans, kicking the creature away before weakly pulling herself out to lie at my side, her legs seeping with rich, thick blood. "You... psychotic... little bitch..." Her eyes lock on my face and, for an instant, they soften, before quickly hardening again. "You're not normal, but I'm glad to have met you."

"Feeling's mutual," I mutter, quickly rising to my feet. "Smoker! Are you... oh no..."

In the place he had once stood, a crater remains, flecked with blood. His hand, freshly severed, twitches as it lies curled on the ground like a grey spider, still clenched in a tight fist, flexing and un-flexing.

"SHIT!" I grab Crawler's wrist and force her to her feet, shoving her away slightly. "Run! Get out of here! Don't look back!"

She blinks, then turns to stare at the now quiet, jeering horde of onlookers, Bill, Louis and Francis wrapped tightly within the claws of many, many Smokers. "But, what about them..."

"Shut up and go!" I pick up Francis' discarded pipe and point to the tunnel behind me. "Watch out for more of those mole-things. Get yourself to the surface. Now, GO!"

She whimpers, eyeing Bill and the others briefly before turning to face me in acknowledgement, then quickly turning again and shakily running down the tunnel we had just came from, retracing our steps, her police uniform shredded to expose deep, bloody gashes in her waist and thighs.

I watch her as she runs, a stray tear escaping to migrate down my cheek. I then sigh, twisting around to face the enemy, my eye narrowing with hate as a familiar hooded figure steps forward, followed by a little girl whose smug smile rouses a growl from within my chest. "Satisfied? Happy now?"

"Mostly," Shrieker replies with a shrug, giggling. "My, that little display of heroics on your part was highly entertaining. I was going to send Jason out to fetch you, but Hunter thought it would be rude to interrupt your little moment."

"Jason...?" My grip on the pipe loosens, and with a loud clang it clatters to the ground, rolling away uselessly.

"Charger!" Shrieker calls in a musical tone, dancing aside as the Smokers behind her begin to part and form a path, allowing something large and muscular to slowly lumber forth, muscles pulsing, blond hair flashing in the dim electric light, angry red eyes glaring at me from the distance.

My entire reason for venturing this far.

My heart stops, and suddenly devoid of all strength, I drop to my knees, watching sorrowfully as the creature, a towering mass of power, mindlessly approaches, his one arm a great bulge of muscle, the other shrivelled and limp, simply swaying with the beast's movements. "Oh Jason... what... what did they do to you?"

He pauses, staring down at me with his bright eyes. He sees me, but behind the crimson glow, there is no recognition, no life. His skin has split and hardened in several places, almost rocklike, and his hair, his beautiful hair, hangs over his thickset neck and drifts over his shoulders in now limp strands, his square, handsome jaw lined with deep, bloody scratches and grotesquely tainted by the strange hard substance.

His eyes, once a deep blue and filled with humour, are now empty pits of boiling, angry red, and his mouth seems to hang open as if seeking breath, his broad, bulging chest slowly expanding.

Hunter steps forward and places a hand on Jason's small, malformed shoulder, patting it. "Handsome, isn't he?"

"You fucking bastard," I whisper back darkly, my dead shock slowly changing to intense rage. "Who gave you the right? Who do you assholes think you are?"

"Your family, apparently," Shrieker replies with a sigh, waving me off. "Hunter did, after all, arrange most of this stunt just to get you to join us. And, since we've got all your friends, and the only one who's escaped shall surely die of her wounds, you have absolutely no reason no refuse."

"Jason!" I sniffle, burying my face in my hands. "Fluffy..."

"That's right." Shrieker chuckles, confidently approaching me and bending down to place a cold, soft finger beneath my chin, tilting my face upward so that our eyes meet. "Now, you will join us. If you don't, I will personally have all your friends killed, one by one, until you really have no one left."

I open my mouth to speak, but Fluffy's weak, hurt whimper, followed by loud swearing and the sound of scuffling fills me with sudden exhilaration, bringing me to my feet. "Fluffy! Girl?"

"Grab her," Shrieker commands softly, Jason's mighty fist descending upon me as I struggle to reach the pit I know contains my friend, his fingers clamping around me carefully, but tightly. "Jason! Stop it! Let me go, please! FLUFFY!"

Shrieker, growling, suddenly plants her small fist in my jaw, knocking my head aside with amazing force. "Shut up, girl. Don't make this any more difficult."

Confused, my vision spins and my eye slides closed, the last thing my brain capable of processing being the sudden sensation of weightlessness, as if I'm scooped into someone's arms, and the distant sound and Fluffy's strangled, angry wails.

* * *

"Darn it, Shrieker. Did you have to hit her so hard?" Hunter hisses angrily as he pulls the unconscious human girl more closely against him, supporting her head on his shoulder.

I roll my eyes, turning my attention to the angry, struggling group of men as they muffle curses and threats, struggling to escape the pack. "I had to shut her up SOMEHOW, Hunter. Her voice was becoming annoying."

He ignores me, busying himself instead with barking orders at his pack mates. "Take them back to the holding cells and guard them fiercely. I shall take them to the Queen when I have fixed this mess. And look out for that Crawler while you're at it!"

Obediently, the many Smokers begin their long trek to the cells with the exhausted, angry humans their captives, my eyes following them closely. "The one with tattoos on his arm is nice. Perhaps the Queen shall let me keep him."

Hunter chuckles, gesturing to Seeker as the powerful canine watches quietly from the sidelines, his white eyes unblinking. "Isn't your dog enough company?"

"Aw, of course he is!" I whistle, and Seeker bounds toward me, burying his muzzle in my palm. "But you have that pretty human. Shouldn't I have one too?"

"Of course," Hunter replies with a smile, sauntering past me with his prize held proudly within his arms. "Detain the Witch for me and then report to the Queen. I'm sure she'd be more than willing to grant you whatever you wish as a reward."

I shiver, my jaws clamping together anxiously. "Yes..." I glance at the pit from which strange sounds of scuffling and yowling can be heard, then at my own feet. "I shall deal with her."

That is one unhappy Witch. I'd be more than thrilled to see the end of that traitor, and so would Hunter, except that deal him and the Queen made requires her survival.

Our Queen offered to turn that human girl into an Infected for Hunter, in exchange for the Witch's safe return. He's been adamant about the offer ever since he sent me his runner. Could I betray him like this, all for my own selfish desires? If I go through with my plan, the only chance Hunter has of eternal companionship with the girl is by the Queen's mercy.

And she's not very merciful. He'll hate me for it.

But if that Witch comes back to our Queen, she'll take my place as second in command. She'll, once again, become the Queen's little favourite, and I shall be forgotten once more! Hunter will have his mate, and I shall have my Seeker and, perhaps, that handsome man with the tattoos adorning his arms. But I do not care for such things! I want Her! And yet, I might still be punished for lying and, Hive forbid, end up killed for it!

I hiss, glaring at Hunter's back as he casually strolls his way toward the Sanctuary, toward the Room of Change and the waiting Queen, completely unaware of my internal struggle.

On the other hand, I could kill the Witch right now. After all, I've already sent the runner my message. Hunter will be suspicious with me if I return with a supposedly dead Witch. If I kill her and return empty handed, I shall have no reason to pretend. My story will sound true. My little nuisance shall be dead, and I shall retain my second in command status in the Hive! The Queen will have me... she might even finally realise that I am the finest of her creations, her daughter. But there is still a risk of her taking out her anger on me, or, horror of all horrors, if that girl is somehow turned into a member of the hive, her connection to Hunter might grant her great power. She could overthrow me, become second only to the Queen herself! In that case, she'd be my replacement!

What poetic revenge. I can see the Queen taking this course of action as punishment for my insubordination, rather than death. That leaves me with two choices.

One, I kill the girl before she changes and blame it on another, but risk being slaughtered by Hunter, Hive forbid, if he sees through my lie.

Two, I flee the Hive and try to make it Outside, but risk being eaten by a larger infected. My appearance might make a human pause, but a Tank?

I pause at this thought, my gaze shifting between the pit containing the Witch and Hunter's gradually vanishing form. To kill or not to kill?

Oh, bugger it. Either way, I'm screwed somehow. Might as well just kill the bitch and enjoy it.

"Mole!"

The Witch's yowling is muffled suddenly, and with a great heave, several pairs of powerful arms shove her out of the hole and drop her to the ground in a bloody, injured heap, her eyes meeting with mine in pure fury as she tries to scramble to her feet, only to have small, hunched creatures clamber out the hole in a swarm and pin her back down.

The Alpha Mole smiles as he rises from the dirt, scuffling toward me to blindly reach for my hand and, after some effort, take it within his claws, raising it to his bulbous nose to inhale deeply. "I have her, beautiful Shrieker! As I promised, we have restrained the Witch! Now, let's get that lovely Charger of yours to bonk her on the head, and we'll be on our way! Ooh, what a reward we shall receive!"

"Excellent work," I reply sweetly, smirking down at the creature, "but I'm afraid there has been a change of plans. We will not be taking the Witch back."

He pauses, staring up at me with a stunned expression. "Pardon?"

I pull my hand out of his grasp and turn to the other Moles, walking past a few of them to reach the centre of the crowd, where they all converge on the Witch. "As far as you and your little friends know, the Witch put up such a fierce struggle that conflict was inevitable, and we, most unfortunately... put her down." I then wave a hand dismissively at the creatures, sighing. "Step aside. My Charger shall take it from here."

Obediently, the creatures release the Witch's trembling form and step back, making way for the mighty beast as he slowly, mindlessly, lumbers toward her, brushing my shoulder as he passes me.

She looks up, recognises his face, and whimpers, managing to lift herself onto her knees and extend her claws fearfully, eyes widening with horror as he slowly raises his fist.

"That's right," I reply with a chuckle. "Your old friend is mine now, just as you once were. Pity you went soft for the humans and ran away. Now, I have to kill you."

"Wait!" The Alpha Mole slams his claws loudly over the ground, hissing. "What is this? The Queen expects the Witch's return! How can we betray her trust? It's... it's madness!"

"No one is completely sane," I answer coolly, Seeker nuzzling my fingertips. "I've been in her shadow for so very, very long, Mole. But no longer." I then turn my attention to the silent Charger, my lips curving into a small, pleasured smile. "Don't try to interfere. This is just progress."

The Mole screams, slashing wildly as he tries to pinpoint targets he cannot see, hacking one of his brothers across the stomach in his blind rage and spilling life over the floor. "Mutiny! Betrayers shall be punished! STOP!"

"Finish her," I command softly, ignoring his rant. "Kill her now." My smile morphs into a wide grin, my eyes widening with glee as they watch the mighty fist make its descent. "Kill her... kill her!"

The Witch screams in agony, bucking unnaturally as armoured, swollen knuckles pummel into her back and knock her down, crushing her mercilessly into the stone until cracks outline her figure as it creates an impression in the surface.

"Again!" I scream, my voice rising. "Do it again! This time, she won't get away! AGAIN!"

"BETRAYER!" the Alpha Mole roars, charging toward me with his great, curving claws outstretched, his jaws flying open to bare his fierce yellow teeth. He throws his fellow brethren aside as he blindly charges his way through the crowd, heading toward me with startling speed.

Within a second, he reaches me, aiming a powerful strike at the back of my head, hoping to cleave it off my shoulders. He is so close I can smell the foul odour of his breath and skin, and my grin merely grows.

Attacking me is most unwise.

Mole's furious roar turns to an agonised scream, and with the crunch of breaking bone, he hits the ground hard, crushed under Seeker's paws as the dog hungrily eats into his forearms. "No! Get off! Traitors, all of you! GET THEM!"

The other creatures turn to me and hiss, raising their own powerful, mighty claws, slowly advancing.

"Don't you dare," I state simply, turning to smile at the lesser Mole nearest me, "unless you'd like to be pummelled into the ground. It can easily be arranged."

The creatures back off, looking blindly amongst themselves for guidance.

"Return to your hole." I resume my watch over the Charger, who now stands perfectly still and awaits further instruction, towering over the lifeless grey corpse of the Witch. "If anyone questions you, you shall tell them my little story and mention nothing about what has just happened. I'm sure you don't want to end up like your dear leader."

Seeker growls, moving away from the small, twitching corpse of the Alpha, his white eyes gliding over to me expectantly.

The other Moles, lacking the bravery and strength of their Alpha, scurry back into their tunnel and vanish, dragging the body of their moaning, bloody leader after them.

"And it is done." I chuckle, patting the Charger's muscular arm affectionately. "Only one thing left to do." I approach the silent Witch and bend down, rolling her over to admire her pale, blank face before carefully lifting her clawed hand to my face.

"This will hurt greatly," I mutter, closing my eyes as I press the sharp, curving tip her claw into my cheek, slowly cutting a deep, bloody gash down to my chin, "but I need evidence." I then repeat this a second time, cutting along my arm. "There. I should look sufficiently mangled."

I rise to my feet again and drop her hand, watching my blood ooze from the tip of her claw. "You were a hard enemy to vanquish. Farewell. Charger!"

He lumbers forward, groaning.

I smile up at him. "Now, be a good boy and get rid of the body for me. I know just the right spot. Come!"

He grumbles lethargically, scooping the limp Witch carefully within a hand before slinging her over his shoulder and following after me, Seeker barking as he bounds ahead.

Several tunnels later, we reach the spot I have chosen; a deep, murky canal littered with the skeletons of many Infected before, devoured by the rats and left to rot in solitude. "Here. Drop her in the water. This is where I dispose of those I do not need. You know, past servants, enemies, troublesome creatures that got too curious for their own good..." I glance around, then nod, satisfied. "No one ever comes down here. The whole death thing seems to put us off, strangely. They think this is where we dispose of particularly defective Infected, but really, it's mostly for my own usage."

Charger growls, dunking the Witch into the eerie green channel of water, watching stupidly as her body slowly floats to the surface.

"Good. Come! Let's get back to the Queen and report." I sigh, turning on my heels in the opposite direction. "I better make up a good story to fool her. She may be losing her mental link with the Hive, but she's not stupid."

For a long time, we walk in silence, the intense burning of my wounds proving to be too much of a nuisance to make me hunger for conversation.

It feels like days when I finally find myself standing in the large, darkened chamber of my Queen after receiving her disgruntled runner's message for an immediate audience, her violent, furious red eyes burning down at me, black tendrils wrapping themselves around my legs in a cold, searching embrace.

I had hoped to stop by my own chambers for a refreshment before seeing her, but it appears I shall have to do this parched.

"My child," My Queen hisses softly, her eyes narrowing as she slowly shifts her weight, her body scraping over the dank floor. "You are late. Hunter has been waiting for you for quite some time. Where have you been?"

I sigh, clenching my fists behind my back. "Dealing with the Witch, my Queen..."

"You have lied to me," she purrs calmly, Hunter twisting around to face me with evident shock. "You sent me that messenger. He told me my Witch was dead, and yet, at the time, I could still very much sense her presence."

"That's because I was too hasty, my Queen!" I take in a shaky breath before continuing. "I, with the aid of my Seeker and the new Charger, stayed behind to apprehend her while Hunter was preparing his human. But she didn't wish to return, so I had to use force. It was a long struggle, and eventually she became violent. In the end a fight broke out, and we knocked her down after a few hard blows. She didn't move for a long time and all attempts me made to resuscitate her did not work, so I sent my messenger to you with the likely outcome." I quickly glance down, avoiding her eyes. "It was foolish of me."

My Queen hisses angrily, one of her tendrils wrapping tightly around my thigh. "Please, do continue your story."

I nod weakly, managing to lift my gaze upward to meet her eyes again. "So, we waited for a while longer, just to be sure. It did seem foolish for me to send the runner so soon, so I wanted to be sure. Eventually, I decided to take her to you in her current condition, since it seemed at the time that you might appreciate seeing her face again, regardless."

The Queen remains silent.

"While we were in the process of transporting her," I continue, "she suddenly awoke, flying into a fit of rage. She attacked again, and this time I was injured."

The Queen leans forward to get a closer look at my cheek, her eyes softening slightly. "She... she did this to you?"

"The Witch is a defect, my Queen," I reply unevenly, my voice quivering. "I don't think it was her fault for becoming feral. But, she was simply insane with rage! I tried to subdue her, only to be assaulted a second time!" I lift my arm for my Queen to see, earning a satisfying gasp in response. "Do you see what she had become, my Queen? I had to put her down, for the safety of the Hive!"

My Queen utters a soft, strangled outcry. "Defective...?"

"I'm afraid so," I sniffle, stroking a dark tendril as it sadly nuzzles against my bloody cheek. "It is terrible, my Queen. I tried, really, I did! I got hurt in my efforts. But still, she would not listen to reason. When I was forced to order my Charger and Seeker to kill her, it was the hardest decision I have ever made. When the terrible deed was finally done, I thought of giving you her body, but in the end she was unrecognisable. I felt it would be an insult to you. So I removed her corpse after she had finally gone down, and took it somewhere she will not be disturbed."

A moment of strained silence passes, Hunter's eyes glued to my face with disbelief.

I return his glare with one of warning, threatening him to stay silent.

"Where is her body?" my Queen whispers suddenly, her voice wavering.

"Why?" I ask softly. "Seeing her would only upset you."

"She is not dead."

My blood freezes, every fibre in my body stiffening. "She... isn't?"

My Queen leans back with a sad groan, her eyes slowly closing. "No. I can still feel her. She's alive, but barely. Your attempts were futile. I constructed her for the purpose of being difficult to eradicate."

But how? How can she possibly be alive? She was crushed!

"Do you want me to retrieve her for you?" Hunter asks softly, still staring at me.

"Yes," our Queen answers, a hint of anger in her voice. "She must be punished for her rebellion."

My jaw drops. "My Queen, I-"

"Do not fear, Shrieker. I hold you in contempt no longer." She turns to me with a look of kindness, extending her great talons from within the darkness to gently enclose me within her palms. "You did your duty. I believe you. And any who harms my children will be punished for it. Hunter shall bring me what remains of that Witch, and I shall put her down myself."

He nods in understanding. "Yes, my love. What about my girl?"

Her gaze shifts to the unconscious human, her eyes widening suddenly. "On second thought, leave that Witch for the time being. I want to punish her in ways far worse than simple death."

Hunter gently lowers the girl to the ground and steps back, glancing at me. "My Queen, what do you intend?"

She reaches down to the girl and gently lifts her off the ground, holding her within her claws like a simple doll, small and fragile. "I promised you a Witch, did I not?"

"But..." He blinks. "You... you made a deal..." He then turns to me, his face contorting with anger. "We did not grant you your Witch."

"And now I'm breaking the deal." She chuckles, stroking the girl's cheek. "Don't fret, my darling. I shall turn her for you, even though you have been unable to hold up your end of the bargain. When this girl has turned, I shall use her to destroy what I had spent so much loving time to create... bittersweet revenge, you could call it."

Hunter and I bow and exchange glances, his annoyed and mine somewhat sheepish.

"You two may leave," she commands gently, vanishing into the shadows, the girl seeming to be absorbed by the darkness as she is carefully carried away within the Queen's powerful arms. "Return to me tomorrow night. She should be awake by them, and the transformation will start to kick in. Within a few days, perhaps little more than a week, I will have a replacement. And I shall send her to deal with the Witch."

"Yes, my Queen," Hunter and I echo before quickly turning to leave.

When we are out of earshot, I feel Hunter's hand clamp itself over my shoulder and pull me to a halt, spinning me around to face him. "Do you have a death wish, Shrieker?"

"Calm yourself! I have it all under control!" I shove him away and resume my swift walk back to my chamber, with him following me closely from behind. "You've got your girl. Isn't that what you wanted? Don't throw a tantrum with me now."

"She could have been killed!" He swears softly under his breath, wringing his hands together anxiously. "What if she saw through your story? She would never have spared Zoey's life if it wasn't for your incredible ability to act. And you'd be dead as well, silly girl! Lying to the Queen is a deadly offence!"

I ignore him, passing several lesser Infected by without a second glance.

"Where are the Charger and Seeker?" he asks now, changing the subject.

"I sent Seeker back to my chamber. He'll be waiting for me outside the door. Your Charger I left with Watcher." I brush a strand of my hair aside, my body still tense. "Now, please leave me in peace. I need a moment to compose myself."

"I'm not surprised after that," he mutters, turning away from me. "And what happened to Mole?"

"I dealt with him," I reply softly, quickly leaving before he can reply.

That was a close, _close_ call. If I didn't have these claw marks as some sort of proof, my Queen would never have believed my story. I just hope that Mole, alive or not, doesn't breathe a word of the truth to anyone, or I'm really done for. And that girl, Zoey. She might actually be of great use.

And that damned Witch! Will nothing kill her?

I guess I'll have to try harder next time. With her accelerated healing, it's likely I might have to literally remove her head before that bitch stays down. How could I have been so careless!

Oh well. Next time, Shrieker. Next time.

* * *

"Get your hands off me!" I grit my teeth together and twist, trying to squirm myself out of the rough, bony fingers that clasp tightly around my shoulders and arms. "Aw, horse-shit!" _Not this all over again!_

"Do these humans ever shut up?" one of my captors mutters irritably under his breath as he tightens his grip on my wrists, slowly pushing me toward the iron door of the cell. "Come on, old-timer. Stop squirming before you end up having a heart attack and die."

Francis growls, trying to kick himself free to little avail. "Shit! You boys have picked the wrong man to screw with!" He then digs the heels of his boots into the ground and forces himself to a stop, taking the opportunity to elbow one of the Smokers viciously in the gut. "Take that, jackass!"

Louis, trying to remain calm, puts up less of a struggle, grunting as he is suddenly shoved forward, landing face first into our cell. Before he can crawl to his knees, Francis tumbles in after him, flattening the smaller man in a muffled heap. "Ack! Francis!"

"I hate Smokers!"

I come plummeting in after them, landing heavily on the ground just short of their pile. Quickly jumping to my feet, I clench my fists and twist around, ready to toss a punch.

The cell door slams shut in my face and locks, and with wheezy laughter, the Smokers proceed to toss comments through the bars, standing safely out of my reach.

"Cowards!" I rub my aching wrists and turn away from them, moving to a distant corner to seat myself down, blocking out their jeers. "Great. We are in deep, deep horse-shit."

Louis, smiling kindly, takes a seat beside me. "Hey, look on the bright side. We're alive and human!"

"For how much longer?" I sigh, patting him on the shoulder. "What would we do without your optimism, kid? Thanks."

He smiles, then suddenly grows quiet, staring at his hands as they rest in his lap. He looks worried, and deep lines of thought form themselves in his forehead.

Francis, on the other hand, is restless, cursing angrily as he paces around our cell, occasionally charging at the door to slam into it. "Come on! Open this door!"

"You're not helping," I mutter, scratching my chin. "You'll end up hurting yourself. Just sit down and we'll come up with a plan or something."

"A plan or something?" He laughs, dropping heavily to the floor. "Okay, chief. What's the plan or something for today?"

I scowl at him, then turn to Louis. "Any ideas?"

He slowly shakes his head, smiling weakly. "Nope. Sorry, Bill."

Francis's eyes dart between us, then finally settle on the floor with a tired sigh. "Shit. I wish they'd put us in the other cell. All that food Crawler got for us is in there. At least I could have a beer and a peanut butter sandwich..."

I smile, nodding. "Yeah, that'd be nice. But at least she got away. Poor girl."

"Pity about Fluffy and Smoker," Louis adds, sighing. "Pity about everybody. What do you think will happen to Zoey now?"

Francis wisely remains silent, casting me an inquiring look.

"I honestly don't know." I sigh, brushing my fingers through my hair. "I just hope she's alright."

"If she turns into, you know, one of them..." Louis rubs the back of his neck nervously, giving me a worried side glance. "Do you think she'll still remember us?"

"'Course she will." I chuckle, somewhat half-heartedly. "She's a survivor, Louis. She's one of us. I know it seems really bad now, but she's a tough girl. She'll pull through. And anyway, how could anybody forget a cool guy like you?"

He smiles, shrugging. "Sounds fair enough to me."

Francis grunts, stretching a leg. "Well, I hope she pulls through soon. I don't know how long we'll last down here without provisions. Like beer, you know."

"Come on, we'll get our asses out of here." I lean back against the wall and sigh, my eyes wistfully gazing up at the ceiling. "Somehow."

* * *

It hurts... why does everything hurt?

Whimpering, I struggle to pull myself out of the cold, wet darkness, my claws raking against something hard and solid, gripping weakly for leverage.

Zoey... must get Zoey...

I lift a leg over the hard thing, slowly raising myself out of the wet. My chin rests itself on the hardness, and my eyes slowly flutter open, but everything is a blur.

I can hear soft footsteps, and mustering my strength, I lift my head toward the sound.

Zoey?

"Holy shit!"

I growl. This is not my Zoey. Doesn't smell like her, or sound like her.

"Easy, girl. Damn, what happened to you?"

Soft hands touch my shoulders.

"It's okay, girl. Let's get you out of there nice and slow..."

I hiss, raising my claws to weakly slash at the blurry figure, making it step back and release me.

"Whoa, girl! I'm not gonna hurt you... just relax for me, okay? That's it..."

"Watch out, Alec. That Witch is not happy."

Another voice?

"Relax, Matt. I don't think she's gonna leap up and slash my head off."

"Just be careful. Not all of them are as lenient as I am."

That voice is deep, sort of a growl. Not a nice voice. It's cold, filled with bitterness.

I growl as another figure approaches, this one large and dark.

"That's an impressive set of claws," the deep voice says.

"What should we do with her?"

I slowly settle again, allowing the soft hands to touch my shoulders. They probe me gently, as if feeling for something.

"Shit. You must have had a run in with something pretty big. Look at those bruises!"

That voice sounds like a woman. It's soft and warm. This person is friendly.

But it is not my Zoey. And I don't like the dark, big person with the rough voice. He stinks of anger.

"Leave her be. She's half gone anyhow." The big, dark shape moves away from me. "We need to get back to the others. Come on."

"We can't leave her here!"

"She's an animal. Let her die like one."

"Don't be a jackass. Give me your bandages."

I moan as arms slowly dip themselves in the cold wetness and touch my waist, gradually lifting me out of the wet.

"Come on, honey. I need you to help me here," the soft voice whispers in my ear. "Push. That's it. Nice and slow."

I manage to roll myself out of the wet, but it hurts so bad. Lying on my back, I whine, pawing at the air for something to hold onto.

"Shh. Let me wrap you up. Matt, the bandages!"

The rough voice mutters something before I see the dark figure return, handing the woman something white. "Make it quick. Bullet is going to chew my ear off again if we're late."

"Scared of a lady, Matthew Cunningham?"

I bury myself in the female's chest as she slowly scoops me into her lap, wrapping the soft bandages around my waist and chest. It's painful, but she works swiftly and carefully, and she smells pleasant.

"Aw. Look at her, Matt! And you wanted to leave her behind!" She brushes a finger lightly over my cheek. "Poor thing. Witches are so misunderstood."

"What you women mistake for being cute startles me. Just finish up here so we can get moving again."

"Okay, _Boss_. Now, just hold still for me while I fasten it for you. There... oh, hey Matt, got a pin? Thanks."

I close my eyes and shiver, suppressing the urge to whimper as she gently hooks her arm under my legs and stands up, holding me securely against her chest.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Taking her with us."

"Are you _mad_? Put her back!"

"Oh, stop being such a ninny. She's not going to kill anyone. Besides, we all trust you, don't we?"

The gruff voice stays silent after that.

* * *

And that's Chapter 15! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers that allowed me to use their OC's for this chapter.

**OC's in order of appearance:** The Mole (snake screamer), Alec (DevilToBeLoved), and Matthew aka 'Matt' Cunningham (Jirrue Of The Sand).

Curious about what's happened to Crawler? Wondering what's to become of Zoey and the Survivors? Stumped by the strange people who've stumbled upon Fluffy? Pondering whether the Mole is really going to keep quiet? Am I ever going to stop leaving you people with endless questions?

All shall be revealed (except for the last part) in... the next chapter. Sorry, guys!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Hello, readers! As you already know by now, I am accepting OC's for future chapters of this story (something I normally wouldn't do, but decided to make an exception this time). So, send them to me! Just be aware that there's no guarantee that your OC will live the entire length of this story, especially if you send me a villain. Thank you.

Suggestions? Ideas? Comments? SEND THEM. I love hearing from you!

Now, on with the story. Enjoy!

* * *

I wheeze, my eyes flying open to stare blindly into the distance as consciousness suddenly hits me, slamming me awake as if I had run face first into a brick wall; hard, painful, unexpected. One small thought passes through my mind as by body suddenly starts working, heartbeat rapid, lungs hurriedly gasping for oxygen, muscles trembling in anticipation.

_What happened?_

I weakly raise my head off the ground and blink, gazing at my strange surroundings with wide, somewhat watery eyes. Everything around me is inky black, and the only light source is a tiny candle placed on the dank stone slabs near me, illuminating me in its faint glow, reflecting off a dark liquid I seem to be curled up in.

Blood. Lots and lots of blood, all around me. My clothes are soaked in it, and I can now feel it caking into my hair as it slowly congeals.

I shiver, my entire body aching dully, especially my hands. I gaze down at them, curious, finding my fingers oddly rigid and hard, the skin splitting slightly on the tips and my nails seeming to merge with the skin itself, blood caking the broken, blackened flesh. _What is this...?_

Panicked, I hurriedly glance around the dark room for someone's aid. "Hello? Is anybody there? Please, I need help..."

A soft, echoing growl answers me.

I slowly manage to sit on my knees, reaching up with a hard hand to gingerly feel the burning half of my face. _My bandages... they're gone. Who-?_

"Slept well, I hope?"

I squeak as claws suddenly grip me around the shoulders, causing me to promptly fall over and swiftly twist around to lie on my back beside the little candle, staring up at a hideous face in alarm. "Who... what...?"

"I am Watcher," the creature says in a high-pitched, warped vice, his body twisted bizarrely and grotesquely, bearing a great, pustule-laden hump on his back which seems to force him to bend over, as if in a bow. He slowly limps toward me, rubbing his gnarled hands together, his yellow eyes narrowed menacingly. "How are you feeling? Hungry? Cold? A little... sore?"

I swallow, nervously inching away as he suddenly reaches down, his long fingers trembling with excitement. "G-get back! Stay away from me!" After a few feet of distance I wince, unable to move any further when my back starts to grow rigid, my body seeming to bend and twist of its own accord. "Gaaah!" _What's happening to me?_

"Don't be alarmed, Witch. We're on the same side now." He giggles, grabbing my ankles. "You're most unfortunate to have woken up so soon. It's going to hurt, girl. Hurt, hurt, hurt. Witches never stop hurting, you know. That's why they cry. You're going to be crying a lot from now on. Especially now, while you change. Change, change, change..."

I grit my teeth together and hiss, wrenching my one ankle free from his grip before kicking outwards, my boot connecting with a loud crack against his forehead. "Pervert! What's going on? What's happening to me?"

He howls, falling backwards with a soft thud. "Ayaah! Bad Witch! Mustn't hurt Watcher!" He then scrambles back to his feet and bounds toward me, laughing, dancing around me as I twist and tremble in pain. "You silly girl! You've got the Gift! You're one of us now!"

"No..." I moan, curling into a ball as something cracks loudly inside me. "I won't..." _I'm... I'm Infected? No! No, no, no!_

"Yes! You're already changing, Witch! There's no choice now. No choice, no choice! Your body is changing shape, everything's moving! Even your guts!" He throws his bald head back and squeals in delight, throwing his long arms into the air with glee. "It will hurt! It always does, Witch. Everything's shifting, reforming itself. And you'll throw up so much blood! You'll be skinny by the time you're finished. Thin as a stick! So little blood will be left, Witch. And you'll hunger for it, dream of filling yourself up again, but you never will! Never, never, never!"

Glaring at him, I force myself onto my knees and pounce, pinning him beneath me with my aching hands wrapped tightly around his throat, digging into his flesh. "Who the hell are you? Where am I?"

He laughs, squirming within my grip. "Near the Sanctuary! In the Room of Change, Witch! The same room your Charger friend went into. Look at you! You're covered in his blood!"

My jaw drops, and I gaze down at my soaked shirt, pressed tightly to my breasts beneath my heavy jacket, unzipped. "Jason..."

"He was laying in that very spot!" The Watcher points past me, to the wet area I had been laying in only moments before. "See? Blood! All over you! His blood! Like it?"

I scream as my back suddenly arches backward with a loud crack, forcing me to release his throat. I then feel myself lose balance and I collapse on the ground in a heap, jerking feebly as he jumps up and skips around me, laughing.

"I am Watcher!" He suddenly bends down and scoops up my face between his rough hands, glaring into my eyes with his bright yellow orbs. "While you humans change, I watch. I wait. I take care of you, see? I fix you while you change. I put you back together, or rearrange you if your body doesn't want to work! Sometimes, I have to take something off..."

Hot fluid rushes past my lips and I feel my stomach lurch, crimson fluid spewing forth. "Argh!"

"It's starting!" He drops me to the ground and jumps away from the blood, continuing his dance. "You'll be nearly empty soon! Squeezed dry!"

I vomit up my own blood, over and over again. I can't stop. It hurts, and I can't stop.

My mind screams.

I want to curl into a ball and cry. It's agony. My body feels distorted, alien. Like it isn't mine. Like it doesn't belong to me.

And all I can do is throw up my strength, over and over and over again.

But suddenly, it stops. My body grows still and limp. It's wonderful.

But the blood just keeps flowing, rushing down my chin, out my mouth and nostrils.

I try to support myself, try to stand, but I slip and hit the ground again. I'm too weak.

"Stay still, Witch!"

I want to kill him. I want to rip out his spine and shove it up his ass.

My vision blurs. Everything's fuzzy. Everything's cold and painful and wet.

Even my blood.

I manage to lift my head off the ground and crawl forward, away from the laughter, away from the candle. Slowly I move forward, my body wracked with pain.

I reach out into the darkness, and to my surprise, I grasp onto something. An ankle!

I slowly look up, jaw wet, and my small spark of hope quickly vanishes.

Red eyes gaze down at me.

And everything goes black.

* * *

"Well, that was dramatic."

I ignore Shrieker's somewhat sarcastic comment, bending down to gently unclasp the girl's hard fingers from my ankle. I gaze down at her face, and despite being asleep, she wears an expression of deep pain.

She's beautiful.

I carefully hook an arm under her legs and another under her back, gently lifting her from the wet ground into my arms. I then turn to the laughing figure, nodding in his direction. "Watcher. You did a fine job. I'll take it from here."

He grows silent, waving a long arm in acknowledgement. "Ah, Hunter! Excuse me. Sometimes, when I get started, I find it hard to stop!" He then giggles and does a strange dance around the candle, waving his arms about his head. "She's a fighter! She almost strangled me, she did! Almost! Wanted to, Hunter. She had hunger in her eyes. She's adapting fast, without even knowing it! Soon she'll be a monster..."

I can feel her body twitch and jerk in my arms, her bones cracking loudly as they lengthen and reform before my very eyes. "Yes. She will. Our Queen has plans for her."

"Well, you have your prize." Shrieker, visibly annoyed, turns and walks away, the massive canine Seeker obediently following suit. "I'm going to check on those humans. I think I'll take that new Charger with me, show them what to expect when their time comes. Scare them a little while you're busy."

"You're so cruel." I laugh, cradling my girl more securely against me. "I'll leave my love to rest in private by my quarters after I've got her settled, then wait for you back at your chamber for when you return. You and I need to talk."

She pauses, glancing at me from over her shoulder, giving me a slight nod before suddenly vanishing.

I smile, giving my new pet a gentle squeeze as I briskly carry her out the dark chamber and past the guards, toward my own place of rest.

Big things ahead of us, girl. Big things.

And when you next open your eyes, you'll find yourself a completely different person. And soon you'll forget everything that happened in your human life.

Then, you'll be mine.

Forever.

* * *

"Hey, you think she's friendly? 'Cause I remember the last one we brought in here and she sure wasn't friendly."

"Hush, Sam. You'll wake her up. Goodness, look at those claws. Definitely Hive."

"I'm serious, man! I mean, I'm cool with the whole rescuin' the pretty Infected ladies and all, but this one... I dunno. She looks pretty dangerous to me."

"She's too banged up to pose much of a threat. Look at her! It's a miracle Alec managed to patch her up. That girl can work miracles."

"Yeah, I guess so. I like Alec. She's pretty."

"Indeed. Smells nice too.

"But hey, it was kinda funny how Bullet threw such a fit when they brought the Witchy in last night. Matt-Man nearly shat himself!"

"Ah, yes. And you would find that funny."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I have a swell sense of humour."

"Pfft! Please. You have the IQ of a goldfish."

"What's a goldfish?"

"My point exactly."

I frown, listening to the strange voices. They're rough, hinting growls. They don't sound human.

But who are they? And where am I?

What do they want from me?

"She's pretty, for a Witchy. Got nice hair."

I feel a cold hand gently brush itself over my head, my body trembling anxiously under the touch. It feels nice, friendly. But not human. Not Zoey.

"For shit's sake, don't touch! She could be feral."

The hand suddenly recoils, followed by a frightened yelp.

"But you just told me not to worry, 'cause she's..."

"I'm just taking precautions. It's not safe to touch strange Infected, Sam."

In find myself growing suddenly very annoyed. An eye peels itself open and, after a few blinks, my vision clears.

I can now see the owners of the strange voices.

And they certainly aren't human.

"Err, Brain..." The one creature, an easily recognisable breed of Infected, whimpers softly as his round red eyes stare down at me in a mixture of awe and trepidation, his face concealed partially by a ragged hood."She's wakin' up. Should I get Alec now?" He sounds scared. He should be.

I hate Hunters.

"Not yet. We must assess the situation, and determine whether this Witch is safe to approach." The other creature, face absolutely unrecognisable, clears his throat loudly, professionally. "Greetings, Witch. Me friend. Me not hurt you. Me want to talk."

I stare at the creature, stunned. It's like nothing I've ever seen before.

At a guess, it seems to be male. He would be the same as any common breed, except bearing a bulbous head far larger in comparison, and his skin, comprised of dark tones of mottled grey, seems to stretch until almost transparent in some places, to accommodate his massive skull. His eyes, one large and bulging while the other is a mere slit, are glassy white, and what must have been a nose at some point has now, over time, crumbled away, leaving behind a mouldy wound which whistles as the creature breathes. His left arm has also been ripped off, leaving a small stump, joined to his shoulder.

Hideous.

"Oh, okay. Assess the situation. Got it." The Hunter clears his throat too, copying his bizarre companion. "Hello! Me Sam," he drawls slowly in an overly happy voice, smiling unnecessarily. "He Brain. We friends. F-r-i-e-n-d-s."

Now I'm beyond annoyed. First feral, now stupid?

Hissing angrily, I take a swipe at the Hunter, who ducks under my massive claws with a loud, catlike yowl, galloping to the other side of the room until hitting a corner with a loud thud, pressing his back against the wall to stare at me with horror. "H-has the situation been assessed y-yet, Brain?"

The 'Brain', as he called the ugly one, squeaks shrilly and scrambles away as I lunge for him too. "Yes! Get Alec! Get Alec!"

Hunter Sam charges to the door, gripping the handle, ready to wrench it open when, as if of its own accord, the door swings open anyway, revealing a slender blond female standing in its wake, her one arm laden with supplies while the other rests on the door knob.

"Hello, boys!" She grins, reaching over to ruffle Sam's head as he clumsily tries to explain the situation, unable to complete a full, understandable sentence in his desperate jumble of words. "Hey, what's up with you? You're certainly chattier than usual all of a sud-"

Her eyes, bright green, slowly drift over his shoulder and settle on me, and her pale face wears the expression of evident surprise when I return her stare, her voice cutting off into stunned silence.

"She's awake," Brain interjects between Sam's jumbled speech, pushing the Hunter aside to step before the female and grab her shoulder with his one hand, waving the other stump wildly. "She's extremely savage, Alec! I strongly suggest we sedate her right now, before she causes any irreparable damage to the facility... or us, for that matter!"

Alec?

I sit up suddenly, the mattress beneath me creaking. I know that name. I'm sure I do.

The young human girl, Alec, frowns slightly, brushing aside a strand of her short, messy blonde hair as she watches me closely from across the small room, her pale face serious. She then sighs, pushing her armful of supplies into the flustered Brain's grasp before gently pushing him aside and slowly approaching me, stopping at the foot of my bed. "Hi. I don't suppose you remember me. I'm Alec. I found you back there, pretty hurt. I bandaged you up and brought you here to recover." She leans on the bed frame and smiles. "You're getting better fast. You should be able to walk around again soon. How are you feeling?"

It's her. The girl who found me.

So it wasn't a dream.

I remember now. She plucked me out of the wet. She wrapped bandages around me, picked me up and... and I fell asleep after that part. But I know she carried me away from the bad place. She must have brought me here, where she thought I'd be safe.

She saved my life.

I slowly settle down, lowering my claws to rest on my chest in a relaxed, calm manner. I want to answer, but I can't. Whenever I wish to speak, the words simply escape my reach. I don't know what to say.

"Mute?" She cautiously walks to my bedside, pulling a metal stool closer before taking a seat beside me, legs crossed, completely unafraid despite Sam and Brain's loud protests. "No matter. You'll adjust to our little family soon enough, just like we'll adjust to you."

Family?

"These are my boys, Sam and Brainiac. We call the latter Brain for short." She gestures to the two staring Infected. "I found those two while out searching for goods a couple of months ago, Sam first, then Brain a few weeks later, just like how Matt and I came across you while on patrol. By the way, Matt, or Matthew, is the chief of security round these parts, you could say. He's a bit rough, but a good man nonetheless. You'll meet him soon."

Matt. He was the dark figure, the one who wanted to leave me behind, the one who stank of hate.

I growl softly. I don't like this Matthew. He's a mean person.

"The other members of our bizarre little troop are Bullet, who is our sort-of matriarch, Ghost and last but not least, Keeper. They're all Infected, minus Bullet, and including Sam and Brain, they all came from the same place. The Hive..."

I hiss loudly, causing Sam to step back in surprise.

"You're from that place too, I presume." Alec reaches over to touch my forehead, nodding to herself. "Yep. You definitely aren't an ordinary Witch. Your claws are enormous. You're warm, too, and not so... zombie-ish. Not that Infected are really zombies. No, no, no. More of a horrendously bad case of rabies, really, and their lack of an immune system causes some of them to deteriorate due to the effects of bacteria. So they look like zombies, smell like zombies, fall apart like zombies. I'm a doctor, by the way."

"If you couldn't tell," Brain mutters, giving me a sharp look with his bulging eye.

"That Hive place has a habit of creating super Infected, each gifted with a differing range of reasoning, intelligence and emotion, completely unique to the individual. It's amazing." Alec sits back, gazing down at the length of my body thoughtfully. "Since we moved underground to escape from the shit on the surface, we've been running into these strange Infected a lot, especially the deeper we travel. A few of them were friendly, like Sam and Brain over there. After taking them in, they told us they were from a collective mind called the 'Hive', and that they were escaping a cruel fate at the hands of their so-called 'Queen', who is gradually growing weaker from malnutrition and losing her mental link with her offspring, which is what allowed them to rebel in the first place. Well, that's what I've put together, anyhow. I'm a bit of a nerd if you couldn't tell."

Nerd?

"Long story short, I think it's safe to conclude, judging by the poor condition I found you in and your evident mutation, which goes beyond the normal enhancements for your strain..." Alec pauses for a moment, her pale features soft. "Well, I'm guessing you are also an escapee from the Hive, just like Sam and Brain over there. Shake your head if I'm wrong."

I don't shake. I merely gaze up at her, into her warm eyes, and whine. I want Zoey. And I don't understand half of what this girl is saying. She talks too fast.

"Aw. You're sort of cute." She places a hand on my head and pats me, giggling. "I think you're going to fit right in with the rest of us. Ghost is very similar to the Witch strain. You two should get along quite nicely. And Sam is such a sweetie, you'll like him anyway."

"And me?" Brain adds somewhat hopefully.

"Aw. You're the most lovable guy I've ever met." Alec winks at the disturbing Infected, earning a small sigh in reply. "Everybody likes you." She then turns back to me, grinning. "Seeker is a bit energetic, but he's a lovely guy, in his own funny way. Bullet's really badass and tough, and Matt is... well... he's interesting. I'll bring the rest of the gang over later on, so you'll get to meet everyone."

I close my eyes and sigh, enjoying the sensation of her soft palm on my forehead. Despite the constant throb in my waist and chest, I feel fine. This Alec did a good job.

But Zoey...

Wherever I am, I must be close to where she is. A few tunnels away, maybe, but close. She's down here, somewhere. And I'll find her. I have to. And maybe these nice people will help me.

My Zoey...

* * *

"Alright, Louis. You met this Queen person. Tell us what chance we've got against her."

The dark man remains quiet, his eyes downcast.

"Come on. I ain't got time for being coy." Francis huffs, folding his powerful arms as he glares down at the smaller man, trapping him in a corner. "Speak, little man. Speak."

"Let him be, Francis. He's obviously bothered by it." I turn my attention to the metal door, the shape of a Smoker visible through the bars. _I doubt it would help much anyway. We're pretty much screwed down here._

"She's awful."

I turn back to my two companions, surprised. "Pardon?"

"I couldn't see much of her. The room was so dark," Louis says quietly, frowning in thought. "But she was big. Really big. And she stank, like... like decay. Her flesh, it was rotting. And she had these black, slimy tentacle things... reaching for me, touching me..."

Francis casts me a brief glance, his rough brow raised. "Shit. Sounds like one heck of a bitch. How big do you guess she'd be?"

"Oh, I don't know. Twelve feet. Fifteen, maybe. But only in height. She was way bigger than that." Louis shivers, rubbing his arms as he slowly seats himself down in the corner, Francis and I following. "It was as if she filled the entire room. And it was a big room, too. Couldn't even see the ceiling."

"What happened to you over there?" I shift closer, glancing at the Smoker outside the door before leaning into the conversation.

"That's the strange part. She was huge, but invisible in all that blackness. She just sort of emerged from the shadows, had me strapped down on some wall, gave me this strange look and started... started touching me. Didn't say anything, just touching. Under my clothes, even." Louis seems to blush slightly, hiding his face within his folded arms. "She was so cold," he murmurs, somewhat muffled. "Cold as death itself."

"Think maybe she fancies you?" Francis smiles jokingly and I glare at him angrily in return. "What? Just kidding!"

"And then what happened?" I frown seriously, turning my attention back to Louis. "She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No," he replies after a brief pause, looking up from his folded arms. "Eventually, she vanished, and that Hunter had me dragged back here. I swear, guys. It was as if she was looking for something, or checking for something. Testing me..."

"But why only you? Why not us as well?" I scratch my bearded chin. "It makes no sense."

"Probably some racial thing," Francis mutters, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Who knows? She – or it – is just a zombie."

"There must be a reason for it. Unless..." I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of a hand and grunt, shifting myself on the hard stone ground into a more comfortable position. "Maybe Louis was just the first? She might send for us too, Francis. I mean, they're definitely holding us in these cells for a reason. Maybe she's just taking her time?"

"Yeah, or maybe it's just some sick game they're playing. Think they've got hidden cameras in here?" Francis glares at the ceiling, waving a fist threateningly. "Hear me, bitches? Try anything sneaky with me and I'll have your asses!"

"You find the most poetic ways of saying things, Francis." I smile at Louis, who weakly returns the smile. "At least we'll have entertainment in the meantime."

"What about Crawler, though? Think she's alright?" the dark man asks softly, his smile gradually vanishing.

"I... I don't know. I sure hope so." I rub the back of my neck awkwardly, lowering my gaze. "We could really use her help right now. She seemed to have access to these cells. Keys, lock picks, whatever. Plus, she was a nice Infected. Always had something interesting to say."

"I always had a thing for policewomen," Francis blurts randomly, his expression thoughtful. "I got arrested lots of times, but only a handful of the blues were actually dames. Most of them weren't hot either. Sort of a letdown, really, since the films always have a cute cop lady."

Louis and I stare at Francis for a few seconds before sharing a soft laugh at the biker's expense.

And for a moment, everything seems alright.

And then the cell door bursts open, and our happy moment is cut short.

"Hello, boys," purrs a small, pale girl, her crimson eyes glowing maliciously as she strides into our cell, smiling. "I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Shrieker." She gives Francis a wink and the biker stumbles back.

"You!" I recognise the girl, my chest swelling with anger. "What have you done with Zoey?"

"Oh? So that's how it's going to be?" She smiles, then steps aside. "I suppose you'd at least like to meet this mysterious Jason person your female friend was so adamant about saving. After all, you would have gotten out safely if she hadn't come back here to save him." She then giggles, and a massive shape steps forth, lowering its head into the doorway for us to see, its face illuminated by the weak electric light bulb in the ceiling.

My jaw drops.

It's a man. Or, what was once a man. Now, it's a monster. What we humans would call a Charger.

His face, half human, the other half bearing hard flesh resembling scarred rock, holds no emotion. His jaw hangs open stupidly, tongue lolling out the corner like a panting dog, his red eyes gazing mindlessly around the room, shifting between faces, briefly focusing on mine before moving away again, seeming to not comprehend what he's seeing. He had obviously been a handsome man once, with his blond tresses of hair hanging limply around his strong jaw, over his bloody shoulders and bulging neck, his powerful chest heaving with rasping breaths.

"This is similar to what you three shall look like, assuming our Queen feels merciful and allows you to live," Shrieker says calmly, still smiling as she gently pushes the Charger's head out the doorway and steps outside, a Smoker closing the cell door behind her. "Just thought I'd give you the heads-up on what's happening. You know, just in case you were curious."

I feel my heart race against my ribcage, and I step back to lean against a far wall, panting. _Shit... these bastards are insane..._

"Oh, and by the way, about your lady friend." Shrieker giggles, sauntering away from the door while gazing at us from over her shoulder, a canine of gigantic proportions following after her and the Charger lumbering a few feet behind. "She's already undergoing some, err... modifications. But I'm sure she'd be delighted to meet you after she's been settled. I'll set up a date for you, shall I?"

"BITCH!" Francis lunges at the iron door, banging it with his fists. "Let us out of here! HEY! Come back, you little bitch!"

I feel my ground beneath me vanish, my world spinning. _Zoey?_

And I drop, slowly, the floor getting closer and closer, growing fuzzy and soft. All sounds are subdued now. It's like I'm in a dream. Like none of this is real.

Louis yells, reaching out to catch me just as everything goes black.

"_Bill!"_

Black...

And silence.

* * *

Hey! I added another chapter! I think I deserve a gold star on my forehead for that!

So, let's recap! Fluffy's safe, Zoey's Infected and the boys have found out what's going to happen to them if they don't get out of there soon (assuming the Queen doesn't kill them, that is!) As for the Mole, good Smoker and Crawler, who I was going to add to this chapter, but removed again because this is a suspense themed fic and I'm kinda mean like that, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out what's going to happen with them! Cruel, I know.

Thanks again to you great reviewers out there, who make all this hard work worthwhile. I love you guys.

Soon, more OC's will be introduced, so if you want your character to feature, send me a message or review and I'll get back to you! Until next time...

Bye!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Hey everybody! Welcome to another chapter of... well, I'm pretty sure you know the name of this story by now. So let's just skip that part.

Right! To the cliff-hangers!

What will happen to Zoey now that she's an Infected-to-be? Who are these strange people Fluffy finds herself stuck with? Is Crawler even alive? And what about Smoker? And how exactly are Bill, Francis and Louis going to escape their prison?

All those questions will be touched on in this chapter... even though you've probably got a hundred other unanswered questions waiting to be addressed, and I bet you find this whole 'wait and see' routine is getting kinda annoying by now. Oh well. Give me cookies and I might just stop being so cruel. Might.

Enjoy, my darlings. Kindly leave a little review for me after reading, if you please. I really do appreciate the effort. (You see, I also want to achieve the "200 REVIEW LANDMARK!" for this story, so if you guys are enjoying the tale so far and feel generous, do comment! Thank you!)

While we're here, let me also apologise for the delay. Life is stressful. I rewrote this chapter, like, a hundred times and I ended up with over thirty pages of mess. Had to clean it all up, rewrite AGAIN and only now am I satisfied. I hope you enjoy the end results! Do note that this chapter will try to explain Hunter's devotion to the Queen a little, to give you idea of how brittle her power really is.

Now, on with the story!

* * *

_Make it stop... make it stop..._

I swallow, my throat painfully dry. I want to scream. I want to cry. I want to call out to some higher power for help. Honestly, I want to do anything I can just to get my stupid eyes to open, to end this nightmare and wake up in my comfortable bed in my comfortable room, with my parents shaking sense back into me, telling me this has all been some insane dream and everything's alright.

But I can't.

My body is in agony. I don't think I've ever felt pain like this, not even when I almost lost my life to a small horde when I somehow got separated from the guys. No... nothing like this. This is sick. Cruel. A perversion of nature. A dark gift I never wanted to receive. And it's warping me. Inside out, I'm changing.

Everything feels wrong inside, out of place. I can even hear my own bones snapping as they shift and reform, everything moving around as I lay here, trapped in black limbo, my heartbeat so loud it thunders in my ears. I'm scared.

_I guess I finally know what it feels like. To be so close to death... to want it, but it's being a bitch and... and playing hard to get... letting you suffer, wondering whether you're gonna die, or live, or lay here forever like this. But hey, at least my brain's still functioning! That's a good sign... maybe._

I'd smile, if I wasn't paralysed and in great anguish. It's an amusing thought, considering everything I used to believe. I've always thought the Infected were mindless cannibals, and true, most of them are. I never thought they were anything else.

But that was before I met her.

Fluffy, in her weird way, changed my outlook on the world. She showed me that even though she was a monster on the outside, inside she still had that human side of her, a gentle side, like a young woman trapped in a body she didn't deserve. She was beautiful.

But she's gone now. Dead, because of me. An innocent life stolen because I was selfish. She'd suffered for so long in that warehouse, all alone, and I just happened to stumble along and gave her a false sense of hope. She thought that, maybe, she wouldn't have to be alone anymore. And she followed me, protected me, afraid I'd leave her behind.

She gave her life helping me complete some ridiculous quest to save people I cared about, people she didn't even know. It was my problem, not hers. She'd fought so long to escape this place, and I led her right back. And I killed her for it.

It was me. All me.

_Oh, Fluffy… I'm so sorry…_

A soft chuckle disrupts my thoughts. "Hello, darling. Slept well?"

Anger swells inside me like magma rising to the surface, my body trembling with unspoken curses. _You bastard!_

Suddenly, a cold, rough palm touches my cheek, as if to somehow sooth me. "Shh..." Hunter's voice coos at me from somewhere close, his palm continually caressing my cheek. "It's painful, I know. But soon, you'll forget all about this. Your friends, your family, your life. They'll all vanish and you'll become a new being, stronger than you could possibly imagine. It just takes time. And look! I have something that will help you wake up again. A little secret."

_Shit..._

I gasp as his fingers reach into my mouth and pry my jaws apart, something cold and wet being forced down my throat, so far back I have no choice but to swallow, screaming in silent terror as I feel the cold, wet thing burn icily as it slowly slides down into the pit of my stomach, the burning increasing until it almost seems to explode, my body bucking violently as every muscle jolts with agony.

"Easy. Just let the drugs take their effect," I hear him purr, pushing me back down again. "There we go. It just takes a second."

And like magic, my eyes tear themselves open, my body ceasing to buck and tremble so suddenly it was as if nothing had ever happened. _What…?_

"Better?" he murmurs softly, rubbing me affectionately under the chin as he seats himself on the edge of the bed.

"What… was that?" I hiss between gritted teeth, my voice low and broken.

"A concoction of various medications. Nothing important." He chuckles, pulling away slightly to look me over. "My, you've made marvellous progress, and so quickly! Your transformation shall reach its zenith soon. Your claws have already started to sprout. Look at them!"

I glance down the length of an arm with dread, perspiration beading my forehead. _Do I really want to?_

"Go on!" He grins slyly. "You'll like them. I certainly do."

I relent, slowly raising my arm off the bed, bringing my hand to my face for me to see. My eyes widen at the sight of my mangled flesh, my stomach lurching with disgust. "Oh fuck..."

"Beautiful, aren't they?" He giggles. "I think they're such an elegant adaptation of the Witch strain. Yours in particular are most impressive. Don't you think?"

My fingers, flesh tainted by a network of black veins running beneath the surface, are each gruesomely split open at the tip to allow several inches of hard bone to grow through, the longest close to a ruler in length. The joints of the bone have fused together like gnarled branches of a tree, their hard surface slick with dark blood.

I try to bend a black finger, watching with bizarre fascination as the torn flesh flexes stiffly without much discomfort, completely numb. _Why can't I feel anything? Is it… dead?_

"You'll soon get used to the changes you're experiencing, darling," he states calmly, grinning down at me with lust. "Just think how wonderful life will be for us, my dear; you and I, together, for all eternity. We Infected don't age, you know. And the Queen keeps us strong! Away from her, we'd rot, fall apart. But her presence keeps us strong..."

I grit my teeth and wince, tearing my hand away from my face with disgust. I can't bear to look upon such a ghastly mutation. _It's really happening... I'm becoming one of them..._

"Now, I suppose you have a few questions?" I hear the bed creak as Hunter sits back, his hand moving to rest intimately on my thigh. "The drugs I've given you will only last temporarily, at most a few hours. Speak now, love, before you fall asleep again."

"Where am I?" I gaze at the strange room around us, well furbished for a simple cell in the sewers. _How do these bastards get so much quality human crap down here? The riots destroyed everything!_

"In my private quarters. _Our_ private quarters." He chuckles darkly, his eyes burning from the shadow of his hood. "Now, what do you really want to ask?"

I sit up slightly, my body protesting with dull pain. "Where are my friends?" I growl between my teeth, touching a sore side gingerly with a claw. "Are they hurt? You better not have touched them, Hunter."

"They're perfectly fine," he replies calmly, absentmindedly tapping his chin with a short claw. "Under heavy watch, but otherwise perfectly unharmed."

I sigh, mentally glad for my friends. _At least they're alive! Now, for the question I've wanted to ask since I got underground in the first place._ "Who, or what, is the Queen?"

Hunter seems taken aback by the question. "What? Why would you want to know such a thing? She's our Mother."

"Don't bullshit me." I bring a hand to his face, showing him the blackened, bloody fingers. "No mother would do this crazy shit to her children. She's a megalomaniac, not some angelic caretaker. Now tell me what kind of freak show she really is."

His stunned expression gradually vanishes, turning into a smirk. "You're terribly attractive when you lose your temper. Alright, let me answer your question with a question. Why is it so important for you to know? You are bound to her in servitude regardless, and your memories shall soon be erased. Surely there's little point."

"Just as I thought." I snigger, folding my arms in triumph. "You have no idea what she is. You're shit scared of her, that's why you don't ask questions. She's bullying you… all of you."

His face hardens. "What?"

"She may have had some freaky mind control over you guys before, early on in the game. But it's been months. You guys eat meat, right? Well, she's not getting any. She's slowly starving to death, getting weaker and weaker, slowly withering away into nothingness. I bet she's losing her edge." I laugh, enjoying the flicker of terror in his eyes. "You stay, because you don't remember anything about who you were as a human, the life you once had, your old freedom. You stay, because this life… it's all you've ever known. And her hold on your brain didn't help matters, did it? You've been at her beck and call, a mindless servant, for so long. But now, with her lapsing strength, you're regaining your own mind. You're beginning to question things…"

He growls, his slender body tensing with anger. "And how could a part-human, who knows absolutely nothing about us, claim to understand so much?"

"Oh, I know more than you think. Falling for Fluffy proved what you're too afraid to acknowledge." I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and slowly rise to my feet, my body trembling painfully with the strain it takes to do such a simple task. "You guys feel things. You're not mindless. Not anymore. Fluffy found that out long ago. She saw through the lies, struggled with them, battled until she finally broke the hold. She just had to take that extra step. She had the balls to do what none of you would have ever dared. She left."

"She was a Defective, nothing more." He scoffs, waving a hand dismissively in my direction as if this were all a joke amongst friends. "She came out wrong. Didn't understand, ran away out of fear. She was broken."

"No. She was right." I manage a slow step forward, swaying precariously on my feet. "You're the delusional one, Hunter. After all that's happened, Fluffy taught me one thing. Under that Hive bullshit, you're as human as I am, heart and all. And now that you're free, you must take your own first step."

His jaw literally drops, all defiance fading from his rotted face. "I… I don't…"

"You'll get it. Eventually." I stumble to the door and pull it open, glancing at him from over my shoulder. "Now, you're going to take me to my friends. I want to see them… for one last time."

"And why should I grant you such mercy after spewing all that heresy?" He bares his teeth threateningly, slowly standing up. "I should kill you for those lies."

"You won't." I smirk, stepping outside. "Now get off your ass and take me to my boys. Do me this one favour, before I descend into madness. You owe me that much, Hunter."

He's silent at this, a moment passing before he finally approaches me, closing the door to his chamber softly behind him. He then takes my arm gently in a cold hand and pulls me alongside him, helping me to walk down the passage, guiding me while acting as my crutch.

We walk on like this in silence, passing many other Infected, going through tunnel after tunnel, fierce guards simply stepping aside to make way.

My body quickly begins to settle, allowing me to walk upright with relative ease after some time of struggle, muscles growing more relaxed. _Those drugs, whatever they are, sure do the trick. Perhaps there is a cure for the Infection after all…_

"Is what you say really true?"

I glance up at the Infected beside me, nodding slightly. "As true as truth can be. You're a pawn. Get used to that fact and do something about it. Think your 'Queen' gives a shit about you?"

"She always told me…" He bites his lip anxiously, his red eyes drifting downwards to focus on our feet as we walk.

"That she loved you?" I feel a pang of guilt but choose not to acknowledge it. "Yeah. Somehow, I doubt that. And even if she does care, it can't be that wonderful if she chooses to control you like a robot."

His face darkens. "It wasn't like that with your Fluffy."

I pause, forcefully pulling him to a stop. "Look, I have no idea what the deal between her and Fluffy was, but I know this; Fluffy wasn't happy here. She was mistreated, used as a tool. Not just by your Queen, but by Shrieker as well, probably you too. What kind of mother allows that?"

His face softens slightly, losing its hard edge. "I think I… understand. But that does not matter. We must obey."

"That's nuts. Nobody can force you to do anything." I roll my eyes, annoyed, pulling him back into a walk. "You need to break away and think for yourself if you ever want a meaningful life, Hunter. Imagine being stuck down here, forever serving some scary monster, all without the right to freedom of thought. Do you honestly want that?"

He scratches his cheek thoughtfully, his eyes widening. He seems to pay little attention to where we're going, simply trudging robotically ahead as if out of habit. "When you put it that way, it does make some sense. Our Queen has shown little affection toward her creations. Shrieker's mentioned it often enough, so perhaps… perhaps you're right."

"Good. So you're beginning see this is all bullshit." I step toward him and close the space between us, my nose brushing against his check as I whisper near his ear. "Then you'll forgive me for this, won't you?"

"What do you-?" His eyes bulge and he releases a startled gasp, his body jerking. "Gah! Zoey?"

"I'm sorry, but I think I can find my way from here." My gaze drifts away from his horrified face to focus on a deep crevice in the ground, one of many jagged tunnels from below bursting to the surface in this section of tunnel, their sharp edges soaked in blood and littered with chunks of debris. "Remember this place, Hunter? This is where your underground lackeys ambushed us, killing both Smoker and my Fluffy. She was dragged down that very pit, screaming." I wave a hand vaguely toward the nearest tunnel, my other hand implanted deep within his back lower back, protruding out of his stomach. "It was a mean trick you played."

"I had… forgotten about that." He trembles, blood oozing down his lip as he gazes down at the wound in his gut with slight surprise. "Should have… picked a different route, now that I… think back…"

"Oh, no. I'm glad you were so careless." I smirk, grabbing the front of his hood. "You've simply backtracked, Hunter. The entire journey I made to get to the Hive led up to this point, this tunnel. Then you took everything I care about and knocked me unconscious, taking me the rest of the way, which wasn't very far at all. I have a good memory, you see, and since I made most of the journey with Fluffy before now, I really don't need your help. And I guess, with these new Infected eyes of mine, I won't be deterred by that bitchy darkness either. Fluffy could see quite fine. Maybe these Witch traits aren't all bad, even though the cost is high. I can never be close to my friends ever again, and it's all thanks to you, _Hunter_."

"Then… what do you plan to do with me?" He coughs, blood gushing down his chin. "You wouldn't kill me… you're not strong enough for that, girl…"

"No. There won't be any more murder. But since this is where two innocent lives were lost and we're on that topic, I think it's only fitting your blood be shed, as a personal apology." I wrench my hand out of his back and step away, sneering. "I think it may be the Infection spreading to my brain, but I really enjoyed that. You're getting everything you deserve."

He smiles, grabbing his punctured gut as blood pours from the wound, his eyes sliding closed. "So bitter! You speak of having human thoughts, of freedom. Doesn't such comprehension come from the heart? Have you none… for me?"

"You sort of killed it when you sent me to your Queen for experimentation," I growl throatily through gritted teeth, my muscles trembling with rage. "And now, you've just made me your worst enemy." With a shriek, I swipe at him, my claws striking the side of his face to send him flying. "That's for taking away everything I had to left to live for, fucker!"

He simply laughs, landing perfectly on all fours and skidding to a halt after several feet, spinning around to face me with amazing ease despite the blow, three deep lines ploughed into his cheek. "Pawn or not, Zoey, my life down here has been comfortable. Up there I'm just prey, like everything else. And I worked too hard to get you down here. Mark my words, honey, you won't leave so easily."

"I'm not for keeps, asshole." I hiss and back away from him, my arm aching profusely. "Don't start shit you can't finish. That slap was just a warning." _Shit! That hurt like a bitch! And I hit him with everything I had! Why's he still up?_

"You're mine, girl." He lunges at me like a jungle cat, throwing me onto my back just short of the jagged edge of a nearby pit, pinning me under his weight. "I like you, but this isn't going to work. I was obviously too kind to give you those drugs. Should have let you sleep with all that pain."

"Get off me!" I squirm, trying to free my wrists from his grip. "You've taken everything! You and all your bastard friends! Isn't that enough?"

"I picked you for a reason, darling." He buries is bloody face in my neck and inhales, nuzzling against my flesh with a low moan. "You are simply stunning to look at. Your fiery personality just entices me further. I may have to beat you into submission for a bit at first, but I promise not to hurt your face. You'll love me, whether you choose so or not…" He chuckles, tightening his grip.

"You're a real bastard, you know that?"

Hunter looks up at the intruder in alarm, just in time for a boot to smash into his face and knock him backwards, inadvertently releasing me. "Gaah!

I scramble to my feet and turn to meet my rescuer, a smile finding its way onto my lips. "Smoker! You're alive, you clever bastard!"

"Yes." He smiles, pointing at what little is left of his severed tongue before showing me his other arm, the hand missing. "I'll explain later. Right now, we need to deal with old shithead over there."

"Ah! If it isn't another one of our infamous little Defects." Hunter chuckles and slowly sits up, rubbing his head. "I thought Mole got rid of you. Ah, well, looks like he took a piece at least. Does it hurt?"

"Like a bitch." Smoker steps beside me, giving me a brief look-over with obvious approval. "Wow, you look incredibly hot in Witch, by the way."

Hunter's smile abruptly switches to a snarl and without warning he pounces, souring through the air in a graceful arc with his clawed hands outstretched, heading straight for Smoker.

I charge between them, acting on instinct. As Hunter flies overhead, I swipe upward and slash into his stomach, blood showering me upon impact. _Score._

He howls, losing his balance and plummeting into the ground short of his target, allowing Smoker to roll him onto his back and pin him down by his wrists.

"Right. Let's settle things right here, right now." I crouch down at Hunter's side, glaring into his half shut eyes as he gurgles in pain. "I'm going to leave you alone, and in return, I don't ever want to see your ugly face again. Got it?"

"Heh, you sound pretty confident." He smirks, baring enough teeth to seem more than a little threatening, even in his pain. "Remember, my love… our Queen will be most upset by your betrayal, and when Shrieker hears of this, of what you've done to me, they'll come after you… and when that happens, we'll definitely see each other again…"

"I guess you have no intention of ditching the whole slave labour thing, then." I sigh, rising to my feet again. "Just when I thought you were on the verge forging your own identity, too. How sad."

"It's a better fate than what lies in store for you, lovely…" He laughs, his voice shrill and sadistic. "You'll suffer something far worse than death, my dear… far worse…"

"I'm suffering it already." I glance at Smoker, his face expectant. "You have the keys to the holding cells, right?"

He nods. "Yeah. In my pocket. Would've gone to check the place myself, but I couldn't do anything alone, so I came back here and hoped tom run into somebody friendly. It's just you and me it seems, gorgeous."

"You won't get far," Hunter splutters, giggling. "Especially with that lame Smoker following you around."

"Shut the fuck up, asshole." I turn away from him, gesturing for Smoker to follow. "Come on. Let's get the others."

"You got a plan?" He releases Hunter and jogs after me, excitement in his warty face.

"Yeah. Go in there and kick ass," I reply evenly, Hunter's maniacal laughter echoing behind us. "Don't suppose you saw Crawler on your way here, did you? I told her to run for it, held off the others while she escaped."

"I was kinda stuck underground with a pack of cannibalistic molemen trying to eat me at the time. I must've missed her." Smoker chuckles, waving his handless arm for emphasis. "They dragged me down there pretty deep, but then their Alpha got attacked and they forgot all about me. I had to worm my way out, got lost along the way. So, where's Fuzzy? Aren't you two inseparable? I expected her to be here hacking up that bastard after heroically rescuing you."

"Fluffy," I gently correct him, my eyes welling up with burning tears. "She didn't make it."

"Oh." He's quiet for a moment before sighing softly, taking my arm in his. "I'm sorry, babe. She was nice. I'm really sad to hear that."

"Yeah. Imagine how I feel." I increase the pace, passing the curled, spider-like remains of a severed hand, surrounded by sections of rusted pipe. "Oh, that's yours, by the way."

"Leave it." He sighs, shaking his head. "It won't grow back. I never did heal as well as the others do."

"You're just fine, honey." I squeeze his arm affectionately, sharing a soft look with the Infected as we round a corner, Hunter's shrieking laughter dulled to an annoying noise in the background. "And thanks for rescuing me back there. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it." He nudges me playfully against the shoulder. "What are buddies for, right?"

Buddies. Pretty soon, that word might not mean anything to me.

* * *

It's so cold in here.

I whine softly to myself as I pull the worn, fuzzy blankets under my chin for comfort, tucking them neatly around my neck and shoulders. I want my Zoey. She's always cosy. And she smells nice. This blanket is kind of stinky. Zoey isn't stinky.

I've been alone for some time now. Alec's been out, told me something about a 'patrol' with Matt and vanished. Sam and Brain have been dropping by every now and then to check on me, but that was a while back. Nothing's happened since, and I'm really, really bored. Can't someone come talk to me? Where is everyone?

I glance at the door on the far side of the dirty little room and growl. I hate laying here. Why can't I just get better already and go find Zoey? But wait, I hear footsteps! Alec?

The soft, regular thudding outside my room draws closer, slow, cautious feet trying pointlessly to mask their sound, gradually becoming louder until abruptly coming to a stop just outside the door.

A long moment of silence follows, as if the person is thinking hard about something, my eyes glued firmly on the door. What's taking Alec so long?

Then the doorknob slowly begins to turn, hardly making a sound, eventually opening the door with a soft, metallic click.

I sit up rigidly in my bed, excited. Alec! You came back!

The door is slowly pushed aside, revealing a slender silhouette in its wake, its features obscured by the surrounding light. But the mysterious figure doesn't greet me in Alec's usual manner. It simply stands there, in the doorway, making no sound.

I sniff the air, my muscles tightening in realisation. That's not Alec.

"Hello," the strange person says softly after the long, tense pause, her voice gentle, as if talking to a little human. "May I come in?"

I grunt, slowly nodding. I learnt how to nod from Zoey. She told me it means yes in human-talk. I don't know if this female can see me, but it's the closest I can come to their language.

The female seems to understand, taking a slow, quiet step forward while closing the door partially behind herself, leaving enough light for her to see me while killing the dazzling rays which once obscured her face, revealing all her features.

I tilt my head to one side and give her a curious look-over, quite impressed. She's rather nice to look at. Older than both Zoey and Alec by quite a bit, but still healthy and very elegant with her long legs and arms. She's pretty.

"My apologies for disturbing you, but with being so preoccupied, I haven't had a moment to myself. And since the Infected are on guard duty and Alec and Matthew out on their rounds, you and I can have a little privacy. I won't be long." She strolls over to stand near the end of my bed and leans over it, resting her arms on the frame. "I want to personally welcome you to our sanctuary. I am Bullet."

The Alpha!

I whine my own greeting, waving a claw at her. For the Alpha, she doesn't seem so bad. She hasn't bitten me yet. That's a good sign.

"You're quite a wonder, you know. Alec's been very preoccupied with taking care of you. You're her little discovery, I think." Bullet smirks fondly to herself. "I must admit, I wasn't happy about her bringing you in at first. The last few Witches we've rescued lacked good manners, and you're about the scariest variety we've ever stumbled upon. But Alec said otherwise. She trusts you, I trust her. So don't disappoint us."

I nod slowly, attempting a smile. Okay, so she is kind of scary.

"Now, let's get a light on in here. I want to get a good look at you." She gives me a glance I simply cannot argue with, nodding in response. "Alright, then! Let me just find a match and I'm all set…"

I watch with fascination as she pulls a small stick from her pocket and strolls over to the crate beside my bed, striking her stick on the wood to suddenly ignite the stick's end with a soft hiss. I stare at the flame, mesmerised, unable to understand how she managed such a feat. "Rar?"

"Don't worry. I don't play with matches." She smiles as me, her face illuminated by the warm light, revealing all the small scratches and bruises in her face. For someone so pretty she seems very tired and worn, her cheeks caked with a thin layer of dirt. She lifts the glass cover of the lantern and lowers her 'match' inside, the flame igniting the wax candle to fill the room with soft, yellow glow. Done, she then waves the match furiously, killing the little flame before shoving the charred remains back in her pocket and turning over to smile down at me. "There. That's more comfortable, isn't it?"

I smile up at her, allowing her to place a tentative hand on my head. Her skin is rougher than I'm used to, not like Zoey or Alec's hands. But she still feels nice.

"So, you're the mysterious bundle Alec brought in." Bullet caresses me softly for a moment before pulling away unexpectedly, sitting herself on the rickety stool Alec tends to use. "You're interesting. A little better built than normal." She brushes a lock of her auburn hair aside, the red strands slipping through her dirty fingers as she tucks them behind an ear, her grey eyes soothingly cool and serene. "I must admit, I'm no stranger when it comes to Witches. Almost got carved open by a few. You buggers hit hard."

I shrug apologetically.

"And look at those claws of yours!" She carefully takes one of my hands and spreads out my fingers. "Remind me to call you next time I need a can opened. They're ridiculous! Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of these."

I stare at my hands with a frown, slightly unsettled by the thought. Did Zoey think the same thing when she first saw me?

"Right, moving on to the important matters. Rules." Bullet clears her throat and sits back, looking a little sterner and more domineering. "Rule one, no attacking your fellow tribesmen. Rule two, no wondering around the tunnels by yourself, and if I catch you doing just that, you better have a good excuse as to why. Rule three, bring any useful crap you stumble across out there back to camp to be sifted through and used. Rule four, any injured Infected you find could be considered friendly and should be brought back to camp for Alec to fawn over and nurse back to health, like you were. We're not here just for ourselves. We want to save as many remnants of human sanity as we possibly can. And that finally brings us to the last rule, number five, which is this…" She smirks, slowly leaning toward me as if to make it absolutely imperative that I concentrate solely on her. "Do whatever I say, when I say, regardless. I have your best interests at heart and I don't take crap from anyone. Follow those five rules and there'll be no issues between you and I, whatsoever. Deal?"

After a nervous moment of thought, I nod slowly, hoping to avoid her wrath. I don't intent to fight with an Alpha who can make fire come out of sticks.

"Good. You're officially a member of our troop." She reaches over to pat me on the shoulder, her face losing its daring edge. "I hope our limited supplies are enough to help make you comfortable. If you need anything, just call. I'll come by again with something for you to eat in a little bit. Would soup do fine?"

I nod again and she stands up, strolling back to the door. I watch her long, fiery hair bounce slightly at the tips, fluidly shifting with her movements. It looks hot to the touch.

"Alec should be back soon. Usually likes to be home by dinnertime. Eats like a horse for someone so petite." Bullet pauses at the door, swinging it open to gaze at the dank passage outside, her back facing me. "Good kid. You were really banged up when she brought you in. Didn't take a close look, but I saw enough. That girl can work miracles with what little she has." With final nod in my direction, the Alpha smiles and strolls out the room, shutting the door behind her. "Be back in a second."

I whimper, finding myself suddenly alone. Again.

Left to my own devices, I sigh and snuggle deeper into the bed, saddened. I really wish my Zoey was here. I can't help but feel so alone, even though these people have been really nice to me. And I don't like humans all that much. Not like the way I like my Zoey. Why are they helping me? And why would they bother with Infected at all?

I can hear Bullet's boots outside. The further she walks, the fainter the thudding sounds become. But then I hear more thudding, lots more, moving loud and fast. There are others around her.

"Alec!" Bullet exclaims. "What happened? Who's-"

"No time to explain!" I hear Alec snap hurriedly in reply. "Get the bandages!"

I frown, sensing the urgency in the nearby humans. What's going on?

And then I smell it. The bitter stench of blood, a scent intoxicatingly strong. Someone's hurt.

The door to my room is suddenly knocked open by a violent blow, a strange man I have never seen before barging the entrance with a mangled heap in his arms, his bright eyes narrowed with what I can guess to be disgust. His clothes are tight and black, ripped apart in places to reveal his big muscles underneath, a shiny metal chain dangling from his thick neck. He looks frightening, but there's something far more unsettling about him.

He's an Infected, but unlike anything I've ever seen before. There's something wrong with him, something wrong with his eyes.

He looks almost human…

"Alec! It's bleeding out over here!" the man bellows in a rough voice which sounds vaguely familiar, giving me a nervous look with his yellow eyes before stepping aside, allowing Alec, far smaller than he, to scramble past.

She tosses her backpack, stuffed with her things, carelessly aside and rushes to one end of the room, grabbing an old mattress propped against the wall. "Bring her here! And watch her legs." She then quickly pulls the mattress down and jumps aside, allowing the big man to place the bloody thing down.

Finally released, it squirms, gasping softly, its face turning toward me.

My jaw drops. Crawler…?

"Found it on the perimeter," the big man mutters as Bullet runs in, arms filled with a red bag which Alec grabs. "It's practically gone, Alec. We should have left it."

"Shut up, Matt," she answers firmly, dropping down to kneel at Crawler's side. She unzips the bag and rummages around inside, producing a bottle of orange liquid amongst other things. "Screw bandages. These cuts are too deep. I'll have to sterilise them and stitch them closed."

I glare at the one she called Matt, realisation sinking in. I remember now. He was the man who thought I should have been left alone to die, that I was too dangerous for these humans to trust.

He didn't trust me for being a Witch, and yet he is Infected himself.

Bullet, oddly awkward, looks around as if searching for a means to help. She then seems to snap to action and pulls a flat metal flask from her hip, unscrewing it. "Here. I snuck booze in it when you two weren't looking. You can use it."

"Hopefully it will be strong enough to knock this poor creature senseless," Alec mutters, taking the flask. She then hooks an arm under Crawler's neck and carefully raises her head, pouring a little of the contents into her gaping jaws. "This is going to hurt, sweetie. You'll want to drink this."

Matt growls, shaking his head as if annoyed. "And what am I supposed to do? Cheer?"

"Heat up the soup for dinner," Bullet replies with a sigh, pushing him out the room and dispersing the onlookers in the process, various pairs of glowing eyes staring at the scene from around the doorway. "You lot get moving! I don't want to hear a peep from any of you." She then shuts the door and jogs back to Alec, crouching down on Crawler's other side. "Alright, what's first?"

Alec bites her lip, pouring a small dose of the orange fluid onto a bud of cotton before grabbing a long, metal needle tightly between her fingers, wiping off its edge. "Now, you hold her down and resist the urge to throw up."

Bullet winces, nodding. "Got it."

I watch in terror as the needle slowly descends.

These humans are insane.

* * *

"There's got to be a way out of this shithole. Think, guys. Think!"

"Francis, I think we've done just about as much thinking as humanly possible. Let's face it. We're finished."

"Way to go, Mister Optimism! If Louis is feeling depressed, we really are good as dead."

"Knock it off, Francis."

I watch the two men argue like a pair of toddlers, my annoying touch of fatherly affection strong enough to resist the tempting urge to throttle them both out of sheer frustration. "Boys, stop it. If we're really going to die, let's not ruin what time we have left with this conflict. It's horseshit."

Francis scoffs, giving me a disbelieving look. "What, you too? Am I the only guy here with a little fight left in him?"

Louis, far more morbid, sits quietly in his little corner away from the group, drawing pictures on the stone walls with a rusted bit of metal. "I miss coffee." He sighs, drawing a steaming mug on the brick nearest to him.

I scratch my beard and growl, giving my incomplete team one final sad look before turning away, pushing my face deep within my palms. _How did it come to this?_

Francis and Louis continue to toss comments at one another. I don't even hear what they're saying. It's just meaningless noise to me.

I close my eyes and allow my mind to gradually drift away, hardly bothering to pay attention to the familiar wheezing coughs of the Smokers outside, or the tramping of feet in the distance, growing steadily louder as an unknown entity nears our cell. _Probably just that Shrieker kid coming to gloat again._

"Hey! You shouldn't be here. Where's your Hunter, girl?"

"Up yours, pal."

A shrieking, unearthly scream followed by wheezing coughs and the sound of ripping flesh abruptly ends my thoughts, several other yells joining the first in a horrid chorus of panic. _What the-?_

I can hear a full-on war raging outside.

A Smoker's head slams violently against the bars of our cell door without warning, his red eyes rolling back into his head as something slams into him from behind with a squelching sound before wrenching him backwards, pulling him out of sight. Another Smoker rushes past, only to reappear seconds later in a shower of bits, blood gushing under the door. Then the shape of something longhaired and angry lunges past, long, curving claws raised above its head.

"Was that a… a Witch?" Louis murmurs, crawling across the floor to crouch at my side, placing a tense hand on my shoulder.

Francis, already on his feet, rushes to the door and glares out from between the bars, watching as much of the chaos as he can. "Yeah, seems like she's pissed off and taking it out on the guards. But she's… she looks like… oh no…"

Louis and I scramble to our feet and join him, looking past the rusting iron bars of our cell, our bulging eyes filled with fear and astonishment as the same sense of horror spreads between us, paying firsthand witness the same creator of such atrocity.

The Witch, her back toward us and her long, thin arms hanging limply at her sides to allow dark blood to drip from her claws, towers over the soft mulch of slaughtered Infected with a sense of deep seated loathing and satisfaction, almost motionless, panting softly. She doesn't seem to notice our presence.

"That's Zoey's jacket," Francis chokes under his breath, his face drained white.

The Witch, however, hears him, her head snapping around to focus vaguely in our direction as if surprised, her red eyes burning from over her shoulder as she glares at us with an unreadable expression, black hair shifting like grass in the breeze.

The resemblance is uncanny. There's no denying who this creature once was.

I feel my terrified heart pound painfully against my ribcage and I step away from the door, stumbling backward. _It… it can't… it fucking can't!_

We remain dead silent, simply waiting for her to move, to snarl, to do anything. We can see the sweet, spunky image she once wore is now almost completely gone, replaced with sickly frailty. None of us could have imagined the horror of this moment, of seeing one of our own this twisted, transformed into a killing machine.

But slowly, the confused expression on her gaunt face changes to an eerily familiar smile, her red orbs lighting up as she clumsily spins around to face us, taking a small step closer. "Guys…?"

My jaw literally drops at the absurdity of the situation. _She recognises us? That means… she's not gone after all…_

"Do I look that bad?" She chuckles at my surprise, her voice uneven and strange, a deep, penetrating growl. But a tiny cord of it sounds real, like her old voice, making the unworldly depth that much less threatening. "I'm flattered." She then waves someone over, a somewhat familiar Smoker cautiously stepping into view, blood splattered over his face and severed tongue.

"Hello again." The Smoker waves. "Remember me? I, uh, was the guide…"

"Buddy!" Francis grins, extending a hand through the bars to shake Smoker's in a rough, friendly manner. "Yeah, you tried to pull me out back there. Pity about the tongue, man. Hey, don't suppose you've got keys on you?"

I find myself grinning stupidly as Zoey gives me a smirk. _Darn, kid! How does she manage this crazy shit?_

Smoker immediately sets to work with the lock, Louis and Francis reaching through the bars to try help, proving to be somewhat of a nuisance. "Look, guys – I may have one hand, but it's a very good hand. I think I can handle a rusty lock."

"How do you know which one is the right key?" Louis asks politely. "There's, like, ten of them. Does each cell have a different lock or something?"

"Yeah," Smoker replies somewhat irritably, moving on to his third key. "This could take some time. But I know I've got the key. I used to do a lot of guard duty here before being stationed at the Hive entrance. I kept the keys I got just in case. Didn't know what I'd need them for, but I obviously made the right decision."

"Well, hurry. I don't know how many more Smokers we'll have to deal with and I'm exhausted." Zoey waves a hand at the decimated corpses with a sigh, leaning heavily against a wall to catch her breath. "Which reminds me, I need to give you a nickname. Any ideas?"

"Err… Josh?" The Smoker looks up from his work with a hopeful expression.

"Sure. Josh it is."

Josh, evidently pleased, resumes his effort to unlock our cell, even humming cheerily while moving onto yet another key.

"Did Crawler get out okay?" I ask him softly, the Infected pausing to give me a sad shake of his head.

"I don't know. Zoey and I haven't seen her." He pulls out the key and replaces it with another. "But I know Crawler. If she got out, she'll find a way. She was always very versatile."

"You two were friends?" Louis smiles kindly.

"Yes, we were. She was the only Infected who gave me the time of day. Liked to sit and chat with me while I was stationed at the entrance. Dunno why. I guess she was as lonely as I was…" Suddenly, the key Josh turns clicks into place, the cell door swinging open with a metallic creak. "Well, look at that. So this is the right key!"

Francis, Louis and I file out the room, but before I can say a word, Zoey charges into my arms and throws me backward, forcing me against a wall as she pins me in a crushing embrace, her face buried in my chest. "Whoa! Easy, easy!"

"Hey! How come he always gets pounced on by the cute college girl?" Francis mutters to Louis somewhat loudly, giving me a dark look. "Is it the veteran thing? 'Cause I've beaten up plenty of assholes myself and I know my way around a gun just as well as anybody else."

"Shut up, Francis," Louis replies affectionately, nudging him. "You're ruining a cute family moment."

"Bill!" Zoey squeezes me fiercely before pulling away to kiss my cheek, stepping back. "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"N-no…" I rub my ribs, smiling awkwardly down at the amazingly powerful girl. "You, err, have quite a bear hug."

"Oh… sorry about all of this." She gestures at herself with a claw, shrugging. "I don't know my own strength."

"Ahem!" Francis grabs her from behind and lifts her into his arms, earning a series of giggles.

"Okay, okay!" She squirms around in his arms to hug him back. "Louis, come get some. I missed you boys and you're going to get a group hug."

Josh shakes his head, watching the three share an awkward embrace with slight disgust. "Eew. Can we get moving now, please?"

Zoey pulls out of the hug and nods, suddenly serious. "You're right. Boys, here's the deal; we're going to escort you lot out of here, but we need to do it quickly. Hunter gave me a concoction of meds which seem to pause the growth of the Infection, but they'll wear out in a few hours and when that happens I'll probably pass out. And that'll make me a liability. So get yourself ready and we'll go. No screwing around."

"Right." I follow after her as she, with Josh close beside her, leads the way, Francis and Louis taking up the rear. "How did you two get out anyway?"

"That's a long story." I sigh, the sound of something wet squelching under my boot making me cringe. "Let's just get out of here first. I think I'm going to be sick."

* * *

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Seeker whimpers, licking my cheek apologetically as we stand on the canal's edge, the murky water devoid of any large, clawed form.

"I dumped her right here!" I grip my hair and pull it angrily, my reflection glaring at me from the murky pool. "I need to find that Witch! If she realises she still has a link to Mother, my treachery shall be known! She'll rat me out! I'll be finished!"

Seeker rests his big head on my shoulder in a soothing fashion, like a friend calmly touching my shoulder. It eases me.

"Even with my Queen's condition deteriorating, she can still sense the Witch's presence," I whisper in his ear, gradually growing calmer as he patiently listens. "And that means that their minds may still be joined, even if the bond is now weak. If that Witch lives, she might somehow rekindle that bond. Even if she hates what she is, I have no doubt she'll use her link with our Queen to her full advantage. But even if she doesn't, I can't let her heal. She'll get strong again, perhaps even come back for her human girl. And if that happens, I know she'll come after me."

Seeker grumbles in understanding, his powerful body trembling.

"There's no way I can possibly fight that monstrosity. If my Charger failed to kill her, what can I do?" I sigh, kissing my dog's decayed cheek. "And you'll try to protect me boy, but it will all be in vain. Just like last time…"

He pulls back and gives me a sad look, looming over me like a powerful guardian, the deep cut in his muzzle and head sending a shiver through my spine.

"I can't let that happen again." I stroke him behind a ripped ear. "Not this time."

No. I must be clever. I must formulate a plan.

"Follow her scent," I command the hound, who obediently turns away and begins to sniff the air, walking idly as his nose gradually lowers to settle close to the surface of the water, finally drifting back to the solid ground near my feet, where the speckles of blood glitter like precious stones under the dim glow of his eyes. "Yes. Find the scent. She cannot escape you."

The dog suddenly grows ridged, his exposed spine trembling. He then growls softly, slowly raising his great head to point past me, toward a smaller tunnel split off from this chamber, insignificant at a glance.

"She went through there?" I smile, stroking an exposed rib in his side. "Good boy. We need to catch her while she's injured and weak. But wait, what's this?" I spot a something metallic in the dark, small enough for me to pick up between two fingers. "A safety pin?"

Seeker sniffs it, his growl escalating with excitement.

"So, a human passed though here." I giggle, raising the pin to my own nose. "Yes… if I'm not mistaken, this is definitely the stench of human hands. But it smells relatively fresh. I know I don't have a nose quite like yours, my dear, but I think it's safe enough to assume that this person might have been around shortly after we dumped our Witch friend. Perhaps this human felt pity and dragged the mongrel off to… oh, I don't know. Do whatever it is a human would do in such a situation."

Seeker gazes down at me with expectant eyes, his bone tail wagging.

"Alright, alright!" I chuckle, nodding in the direction of the tunnel. "Fetch."

He barks, baring his teeth hungrily as he takes off eagerly toward the tunnel entrance, moving swiftly on his long, rotting legs, bounding ahead.

I sprint after him, his echoing snarls guiding me forward. I can only just keep up with him, but we must hurry.

I cannot let the Witch survive this meeting. Not again. She's a risk to everything I have, everything I've worked so hard to achieve.

This ends now. And I'll remove her head when I'm finished, just to be sure.

* * *

Wow, what a twist! But I bet you're wondering why I left out Jason and the Queen. Well, I have my reasons. Want to find out what fiendish plot twists I'm planning? You'll just have to wait until the next instalment of…

_**Trapped!**_ Dun-dun-dun…

Thanks for reading and have a blessed day, everybody.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Hi, everyone!

I just want to take a moment to thank you guys for the reviews. I really appreciate them. And, as the OC submission idea has proved quite popular, I suppose I might as well lay down a basic format to follow if you're interested:

Name (surname optional)

Age

Gender

Species (Human/Infected)

Alliance (Hero/Villain/Neutral)

Physical Description

Special Abilities/Skills

Personality

Quirks (things that are unique about your character, like habits/accent/opinions/likes or dislikes etc)

Background

You can pretty much do your own thing, but those are the basics of what I want to know. Keep in mind that I like to be accurate, so the more info you give me, the better I can work with your OC. Feel free to PM me anytime. Please note that I may _not_ choose your OC for Trapped – this is simply because it's insanely hard to plan so many characters into the plot without rushing events – and if I don't, it's nothing personal. But here's the good news! I'm planning a sequel (this story is getting a little long), and I'll need OC's for that, too. So don't despair!

Anyhow, let's start this chapter! Comments, questions, etc are warmly welcome. I may not answer all of them now, but I'm planning answers in later chapters so keep reading!

Enjoy, everybody. Please review.

* * *

"If what you're telling me is true, then that would make my dearest Shrieker a liar. This is a severe accusation, Mole."

"But it is true, my Queen!" The hideous, hunched little man smiles up at me with yellowed teeth, waving his impressive sets of claws as he speaks. "A liar and a traitor! She was possessed by her own passions, her lust to see the Witch dead!"

I growl, stretching my stiff neck with a loud, satisfying crack. "And what proof do you have against Shrieker? She's been one of my most loyal and capable subjects. The mere idea is preposterous."

"Proof?" He gasps and hops closer toward me, his claws raised above his head as if preaching the gospel. "Look at me, my Queen! I have the wounds to prove it! That hound of hers stopped me before I could intervene! She's gone insane with power!"

I remain impassive. "She had her own wounds. They were definitely inflicted by my Witch. She was merely defending herself and you got in the way. Shrieker had to deal with both you and the Witch, simple as that."

"No, no, no!" He grips his face and hisses, dropping onto his knees. "She was not attacked! The Witch had been debilitated by my kin, I swear! Shrieker attacked her without provocation!"

"And why would she disobey me?" I ask him calmly. "She does whatever I tell her, and I told her to retrieve the Witch. She could not simply due to the circumstances. Not disobedience or rebellion."

Mole slowly lowers his claws, his eyes blank, facial expression tense. "What…?"

"But I still appreciate your concern. Thank you for reporting this to me." I sigh, waving him away. "This was obviously some kind of misunderstanding. The Witch struck first, Shrieker retaliated and you mistook it for aggression."

"She told me with her own mouth how she planned to deceive you and murder the Witch!" he screams shrilly, clawing at himself as if in anguish. "I am not deaf! I heard it! All my kin heard it! The human girl heard it and-"

"Hunter's pet," I interject softly, allowing my eyes to flutter shut with a tired exhale. "Yes. What a pity I already Infected her. She would have proved a perfect eyewitness otherwise. The poor girl would simply lose her mind if she knew the Witch survived."

"What?" Mole stumbles back, clutching onto his chest as if having an attack. "The Witch is alive?"

"Yes, Mole, which makes your accusation even more improbable." I chuckle at his reaction. "Shrieker did not murder my Witch."

"But that means there's another way!" He giggles, seeming to do a funny dance on the spot. "I just thought of it now! This is perfect!"

"Oh, yes?" I shift myself over to lean against the closest wall, using it as a prop to support my bulk. "Speak quickly. You're beginning to annoy me."

"The Witch, my Queen!" He stops his jig abruptly to do a clumsy pirouette and, when he finally stops spinning, he ends up facing the wrong direction. "She's my witness! She'll tell you the truth!"

I blink, unable to hide my surprise. "I hadn't actually considered that."

"Yes! Her wounds will speak for themselves!" He puffs himself out with pride. "I shall prove Shrieker's deceit is no illusion, my Queen. For the betterment of the Hive!"

"That's very noble. Shall I remind you that the Witch happens to be an enemy of the Hive? Bringing her here simply to resolve an argument seems a terrible waste of resources." I peer down at Mole with narrowed eyes, a threatening gesture he fails to notice completely.

"Let me retrieve her for you, to prove my loyalty!" He cackles, stooping over to hug his stomach. "I'll ambush her, just like before! Wherever she may be in these tunnels, I shall find her! I'll recognise the vibrations of her footfalls, see? I never forget them! Every creature's is unique! And when I catch her, I'll bring her back and… and…"

"I'll hold the human girl hostage and threaten to hurt her if the Witch doesn't cooperate." I find myself smiling at the thought. "It's quite ironic how the tables have turned, really. This could be the perfect punishment for her insubordination."

"But your Witch is innocent! Shrieker is a conniving little traitor!" Mole groans, dropping to the floor with a thud. "Why do you continue to trust her?"

"Because Shrieker never abandoned me for some pathetic human creature!" I spit back before I can stop myself, rising with anger. "Shrieker stayed! Shrieker served! Shrieker cares and continues to support me, and that is why only_ I_ shall be the judge of her integrity, pawn!"

He stumbles back with his claws raised and whimpers, nodding his head fervently. "Y-yes, my Queen!"

"For now, bring me that Witch." I settle down again with an agitated growl. "And never question me again."

* * *

"_Come and get me…"_

My eyes tear themselves open and I hurriedly sit up, staring at the far door in horror. What was that?

"_I know you're in there…"_

A moment passes, a moment I spend simply looking around in alarm, utterly confused.

"_Wake up! It's time to go for a little walk…" _

I glance down at Crawler, who continues to sleep peacefully, wrapped snugly in blankets. Didn't she hear it?

"_Come on, Witch! I know you can hear me…"_

I growl, my skin tingling. That voice is familiar. But where is it coming from? It sounds close.

"_I have what you want, Witch. Why do you continue to play deaf?"_

My throat goes dry. Shrieker?

She hums a soft, pleasant tune, her voice echoing. It's so soft and gentle, like a lullaby.

"_Don't you want your little human back? She's here, you know. I have her with me."_

I throw the covers of my bed aside. Zoey?

"_Come to me, Witch. Come and rescue your friend."_

I don't like this, but for Zoey, I will try.

I silently slip my legs out from under the covers and place my feet softly on the cold floor, my eyes darting around the room to briefly settle on Crawler and then Alec, the blonde asleep in her stool with a book in her lap.

"_What's the matter? Is the big, scary Witch… scared?"_

Pushing myself off the bed and onto my feet, I reel from the pain and almost fall over, only just managing to catch myself in time. I have healed well with Alec's help, but this won't be easy.

"_Come on. Surely, you can walk by now? I didn't think Charger pounded you that hard."_

I quietly limp over Crawler's still form, soon reaching the door. I then pause and frown down at the handle, my claws carefully pressing down on the rusted metal just far enough for the door to click, opening a crack. I peek out and look around, spotting other figures scattered all over, wandering around dilapidated shelters built from scrap found underground. Don't they hear Shrieker? How can they just walk around like this? I need their help!

"_Oh, and don't bring any friends along. If you do, I will rip out her neck."_

I feel myself grow cold and I wince, glancing back at Alec and Crawler just before quietly pulling the door shut. I shall have to do this alone.

The others talk softly amongst themselves, some seated on benches near the centre of their camp, enjoying the warmth of a fire that burns from the empty remains of a metal keg. They don't notice me silently slip past and take cover behind shelters and crates, but often I find myself having to drop down and stay still as a patrolling human or Infected quietly walks past. They're watching their territory for intruders, it would seem.

The moment the figure turns away, I run past, soon reaching a strange barrier that blocks my path. I reach out and touch it, my claw rubbing against sharp metal shards and chunks of stone. My friends obviously don't like visitors.

A figure in the distance catches my attention. It's small, standing beyond the barrier with the shadows, its eyes gleaming red in the dark and its skin deathly pale.

"About time you showed up," it says mockingly before abruptly turning and running away, soon vanishing into the tunnel ahead.

I growl, pushing my way around the barrier in pursuit, all the while painfully wary of the small, solitary shelter that seems to guard the entrance to my friends' den. I hope none of them saw me.

"_Just follow my voice. I know you're eager to see her."_

Breaking into an awkward run, I follow the twisting, curving tunnel walls, a small figure in the distance occasionally stepping into view to wave me closer before quickly dodging out of sight, drawing me on until it feels like hours have passed and I collapse with exhaustion, my legs on fire.

"Tired already? Aw."

Jerking my head up with a start, I watch the pale figure as it casually emerges from around the bend and strolls toward me, giggling softly to itself.

"You are so predictable."

I growl in return, forcing myself to stand. Where is she? What have you done with her?

Shrieker smiles shrewdly. "How are you feeling? It's been some time. Those broken bones giving you trouble?"

I ignore her, instead focusing my energy on locating Zoey. I don't see her anywhere and it makes me angry. I cut things when I'm angry.

"Oh, yes. The girl." Shrieker steps aside, admiring her nails. "That's all you care about, isn't it? Getting her back, I mean. But what I want to know is this; what is it that makes that little human so special to you?"

I turn back to Shrieker, my muscles tensing as I look over her shoulder and spot another form in the distance, lying crumpled on the ground, unmoving. Zoey?

"Go on, then. Say hello to your darling human pet." Shrieker narrowly avoids a collision as I hurtle past, hissing loudly in annoyance. "No, don't thank me. It's my pleasure."

I squeal joyfully, my arms outstretched for an embrace.

The body then shifts, slowly raising its head to peer at me with white, lifeless eyes.

I narrowly manage to skid to a halt, losing my balance to crash painfully into the wet stone on my back, hardly noticing as I stare into those terrible eyes, my chest panging. You're not my…

The eyes flash dangerously as the figure slowly rises to its feet, its jaws oozing with bloody saliva that clings in glittering strings to yellow, chipped teeth.

I swallow back the painful lump in my throat, inching away instinctively. How can it be? It's impossible!

"You remember Seeker, don't you? Yeah, you two parted ways on bad terms. If I remember correctly, you tried to kill him…"

The dog growls deeply and shakes his mangled head, showering me in spit. The wound in his skull glistens in the white glow of his eyes, his flesh dark and torn, reeking of decay and filth.

I feel my stomach churn. Why didn't I notice the smell before?

"I wouldn't have found you if it wasn't for Seeker's nose. But when we finally got here, we realised that you'd acquired quite a number of friends. We were in quite a bit over our heads, so we couldn't just charge in there and get you. But that wasn't any problem for me, you see. All it took was the right decibels."

I watch Seeker warily as he begins to encircle me, quickly rising to my feet with my claws spread. I don't understand.

"Witches' ears are quite sensitive to high pitch noises, so I just adjusted my voice a little. I wasn't a hundred percent sure it would work, but it looks like my luck has held out so far. Oh, and your Zoey isn't here, by the way. I lied."

I spin around to face Shrieker and snarl, lunging for her grinning face. I'll rip that smile right out your head.

But Seeker bars my path before I can strike, leaping effortlessly and giving me a crushing bite to the shoulder, throwing me backward with his weight.

I scream as we hit the ground together and roll, fighting to dislodge his deeply sunk teeth from my flesh, his bony paws kicking into my chest and stomach. I don't have the strength to wrestle him off and the pressure on my abdomen is too much.

"I may have failed to kill you last time, but I promise you, Witch. You are going to die today, and your precious little Zoey shall take your place. She's a Witch now, and I'm going to make her life as miserable as I made yours."

Enraged, I summon what little strength I have left and with shaking arms, slowly push Seeker's head back, the flesh of my shoulder tearing as he refuses to release me, pulling a small part of me with him. No. Zoey will never suffer.

He barks and fights to get at my face, his madly snapping jaws skimming the tip of my nose.

"Why do you even bother? You're too weak to fight. Face it – you lose and I win."

I hold Seeker back despite the agony seeping from my wounded shoulder, tightening my grip on his skull until my claws press into the sides of his head and draw blood. No, you don't.

Shrieker cackles loudly, sending bitter stabs of pain into my ears. "I could have sent you on a rampage back there, you know! Could have had you shot to death by the people who rescued you, but seeing you struggle feebly like this is even more satisfying!"

I fight back the drowsiness in my head as hot blood oozes down my chest, focusing every ounce of strength into my arms as I continue to increase the pressure, pushing deeper and deeper into Seeker's head.

Finally, he seems to sense the impending danger and whimpers, pulling away, but I refuse to let him go. He begins to struggle, fighting to escape my grip.

I push harder, and harder, and harder still, the sound of bones snapping and a louder yelp rewarding my efforts, giving me the drive to continue pushing.

His eyes begin to bulge and fluid seeps from his open jaw, his brows crumpling together. He manages a ragged breath while struggling, kicking fervently at my bruised, bloody stomach in his desperation to escape, but he cannot pull himself free from my imbedded claws that dig into his cheeks, neck and shoulders.

Shrieker unleashes a bloodcurdling scream, sending me into total paralysis, every muscle growing rigid. Even when she finally quietens down, the paralysis persists.

But my grip on Seeker's head remains steadfast. He cannot break free, no matter how hard he tries.

"You stupid Witch. Don't you see that you have already lost?" Shrieker strolls over to crouch down beside my head, reaching toward me and grabbing a fistful of hair in her tiny hand, holding it tight. "I have been in your shadow for so long, even with you gone. But no longer. I spun quite a tale to our Queen, you see. She believes you gave me these nasty cuts. They've mostly healed now, but at the time I showed them to her, the mutilation was a sight powerful enough to knock you right off her little pedestal and put me back on top. I'm her favourite daughter now. I bet you hate hearing that, don't you?"

I stare up at the little girl in horror, my expression an immovable grimace. Is that all you wanted? Did you have to hurt my Zoey and Jason, two good humans, just for something so selfish and empty? They were innocent!

"I shall finally get the treatment I deserve. With you out of the way, our Queen will focus all her attention on me." Shrieker's eyes narrow and she smirks, wrapping the strands of my hair around her fist and lower arm. "But here's the real kicker. Mother plans on sending Zoey to kill you. Isn't that just tragic? The human who changed you, cared for you…"

I close my eyes tightly, not wanting to hear. Zoey would never hurt me!

"Your very best friend is already becoming a bloodthirsty monster. Mother will send her after you, and you'll have no choice but to fight. Witch versus Witch. But I'll tell you what… I'll spare you the agony of such a death. I'll kill you instead." Shrieker sniggers, tugging on my hair. "But when Zoey wakes up, she'll be gone. Her memories, her feelings… gone. She'll be a completely different being, serving my every whim, killing on command like my dear Seeker. Just like you had, in a time not so long ago. You're being outmoded."

With an acute stab of pain, I feel my hair suddenly ripped from my scalp. I can only manage a whimper through my gritted teeth.

"You were always so special. Her 'masterpiece', her favourite creation. She gave you more time and love than anyone else and it makes me sick!" Shrieker tosses the loose strands aside, which float gracefully before settling silently on the ground several meters away. "_I_ was her masterpiece! _I_ was the best! It was _me_ she should have loved! ME, ME, M-"

An explosion cuts her off, a shower of earth and debris throwing her small, frail body aside.

Suddenly, I feel my muscles relax and with one concise movement, I completely crush Seeker's head between my palms, his skull cracking open to spill pink and red flesh along with a waterfall of wriggling white maggots.

Shrieker screams, but a larger shape throws itself on her, pinning her to the ground. "YOU BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Now, now, now! It's you who should worry about being killed, little traitor!"

I manage to sit up and push Seeker away, holding my wounded shoulder as I gaze in disbelief at the many Infected surrounding us, each nearly identical to the other and heavily scarred, their faces grossly disfigured. Then, I look toward Shrieker, anxious to see what happens next.

"Mole, I swear… if you don't release me right now, I will have you and your filthy brethren removed like the pestilence you are!" She spits into the face of her capturer before turning her head away in defiance, avoiding my eyes.

Mole merely smiles, shaking his head slowly. "I don't think so! Our Queen has been informed of your treachery, Shrieker, and I am to take the Witch back to be examined, so that you can finally be punished for your crimes."

"What?" She wriggles, trying in vain to break free. "You can't! Please! I-I'll do anything!"

"It's already being done," he replies darkly, taking a deep sniff of the air before turning his head toward me, a twisted smile playing on his distorted face. "You do want to see your little human, don't you?"

I grunt, forcing myself onto my feet. Yes, I do.

"Then follow me. We shall take this little traitor with us, in case she should try to run." He easily scoops Shrieker into his arms, pressing his claws over her face to muffle her squeals of indignation. "After justice has been done, perhaps you can reconcile with your Queen, Witch. It would be better for you in the long run."

I sigh, painfully walking after them as they lead the way back to the Hive, surrounded from all sides and too weak and tired to refuse.

If I get to see my Zoey again, this will all have been worth it.

* * *

"Alright, boys. We're getting close. We'll be out in less than an hour."

"Finally. I hate sewers."

I glance back at Francis, craning my neck painfully to see him from over my slumped shoulder. "What's wrong, handsome? Icky tunnels making you feel uncomfortable?"

"Nope." He scoffs. "What makes me uncomfortable is being unable to see my hand held out in front of my handsome face." He makes a wild motion in the dark, one I can see easily with my new eyes but Louis unfortunately doesn't.

"Ow! Francis!" He rubs his forehead, glaring in the biker's general direction.

"Oops. Sorry, man. Didn't mean to smack your smooth noggin there." Francis smiles sheepishly.

"Can't take those two anywhere," Bill murmurs softly in my ear, holding onto my arm as I direct him down the winding, bleak tunnel, Josh trying to lead Francis and Louis a few feet behind.

"Well, I wouldn't want to bring them to this place if I had the choice." I sigh, my boot squelching on something undesirable. "What really freaks me out is knowing that I, a lady, have waded through stagnant human crap for about a week or two now, and most of this crap is well over a month old. It's rotten crap."

"You'll have a bath first thing when we reach the next safe house. And if you don't mind me saying, ma'am, crap looks very good on you." He kisses my cheek somewhat blindly, his rough beard tickling my ear.

"Oh, stop it." I shrug him off with a hoarse giggle.

"No, don't stop, Bill. She likes it," Francis calls back. "Keep doing it and eventually she'll give in!"

Louis sighs. "Shut up, Francis."

We're moving slowly. At this rate, it may actually take more than an hour to reach the manhole Fluffy and I used, but with my current condition becoming a hindrance, I can't get my legs to work any faster than a painful crawl.

I glance worriedly up at Bill, who remains completely oblivious to my concerns. _What will I become when this is over? Will I remember him? Will I remember Fluffy? Shit, will I remember anything about who I was as a human? _

That's what makes the Infected so monstrous. They've forgotten, become mindless killers, driven by the most basic functions of their rotting brains. Even the civilised Hive seem unwilling or unable to recall their past and they're even crueller than their feral cousins. But what the Hive gain in intelligence they've paid for with the loss their individuality, becoming simple slaves to a cruel master.

But Fluffy was different. She had the capacity for self-expression. That's what allowed her to get away. But even then, she still seemed so simple, so animalistic. Will I become like her, knowing humanity but trapped in a world of instinct and mixed emotions?

Or will I end up like every other Witch I've ever encountered – savage, afraid, deeply sad? Their burden is so terrible they cry day and night and attack people who may simply wish to help, people who are new to the idea of a zombie apocalypse, people who have never encountered an Infected capable of such a humble thing as crying.

Their fury is triggered by such simple things. Bright light, loud noises, even proximity is enough to drive a Witch mad. If I become one of them, I will be unreachable. Alone. Feared. Unloved.

I shiver at the thought. _What if I lose my mind? What if tears end up becoming the only signs of humanity I have left? I'd be a danger to all my friends. I could hurt them or, heaven forbid…_

Kill them.

I stop abruptly as searing pain stabs into my belly, forcing me to stoop over and groan. "Shit...!"

"Zoey?" Bill gently touches my shoulders, unable to see me but evidently worried. "Are you alright?"

I try to resume my walk, swaying precariously on my feet, my vision blurring. "I'm fine. Let's keep moving…"

With every step, I feel my strength slowly lapsing away into nothing. I'm being stupid, I know, but the last thing I need is everyone to get worried.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should stop for a while, take a break?" He acts as my crutch, holding my weight. "You're so cold, and you're shaking real bad. I think it might be wiser to stop now, before you overexert yourself."

The drugs are beginning to wear off. I can feel the painful stiffness returning, always accompanied by those irritating spasms and the overwhelming urge to curl into a ball in some dark corner and sleep. It's getting worse.

"I promised to get you lot out of here. We're not stopping now because of a little stomach cramp." I bite my lip, suddenly nauseous. _I'm stronger than this. I can handle it. I have to, for your sake. For everyone's sake._

I've kept going in the hopes it would somehow keep my friends confident. I don't want to burden them, but I won't be able to keep up this act for much longer. Bill is right. I should stop.

But I won't. I'll go until I fall down and can't get back up again.

Stopping would be admitting that something is very wrong. If I walk, I seem stronger, more in charge of my own body. I need to be a leader right now and leaders must seem bigger than they really are. If the leader breaks down, chaos ensues.

I love these men too much to let them worry.

"Hey, if you want to keep going, I can just carry you. It's not a problem." He says it with such honesty, such willingness. "It would be my pleasure."

"Bill," I reply firmly, my voice even lower than it was a few moments ago, "I am not going to burden you. As long as I can stand, I will walk."

He sighs heavily in my ear. "You're so stubborn."

"Yes." I smile briefly, fighting the nausea, the dizziness and the pain. "I always thought it was a cute little trait of mine."

"More stubborn than Francis," Louis adds cheerily, earning a low growl from the biker in question. "Honestly, it's a miracle you can still pull it off in an appealing sort of way. You're awful sometimes."

I want to laugh, but a sudden jerk in my leg sends me tumbling to one side, Bill narrowly managing to catch me before I fall on my face in the muck. _Argh! Shit, shit, shit it all!_

"That's it. I'm carrying you."

"Bill, it was a little fall, nothing more!"

As he readies himself to scoop me into his arms, my back violently snaps and bends painfully, my claws sinking into his shoulders as I whimper in his ear.

"Ouch," he manages to mutter through gritted teeth, struggling to hold me up. "Zoey, what's going on?"

I utter a low growl as something inside shifts, my bones snapping loudly. "P-put me down…"

He does as I ask, gently lowering me to the ground, the others surrounding me with concerned expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?" Francis reaches out as if to touch me, simply waving his hands through open air. "Zoey?"

"Down here," I whisper, clutching my stomach. _Great, just the kind of attention I want. Now they're all going to be worried, asking me if I'm okay, blindly trying to pet me and tell me it's alright…_

Josh quietly lowers himself beside me. "I'm afraid there's little I can do to ease your pain, doll."

I grip my stomach more tightly, bowing my head as a painful shiver courses through my lower body. "I feel like I'm having a fucking baby… out my arse."

"Push?" Louis suggests meekly.

I hiss and roll over, unintentionally kicking Francis in the leg. "Argh! Sorry, Francis."

"Well…" Francis winces, rubbing his calf. "This is bad. The Hive's gonna know we escaped sooner or later and they'll come looking for us, and with Zoey in this state we're not going to get away from them either."

"Shut up, Francis," Bill whispers loudly, sending the biker a disapproving glare. "Don't scare her."

"But dumbass has a point," Louis adds more calmly. "What are we going to do now?"

I curl into a ball, my bony claws bending stiffly to form tight fists which press into my belly. "I won't be conscious for much longer…"

"So, we wait it out and carry you when you're unconscious?" Louis sighs, rubbing his head. "Not the most pleasant plan, but there's no way we can move you in this condition. It'll have to do, Hive or no Hive."

"No, that's not it." I take a wheezy breath, my eyes squeezing shut. "What I mean is I won't be able to help you anymore. Francis is right. The Hive will come after us, and I bet they'll bring Shrieker with them. You won't stand a chance. Staying here waiting for me and then carrying me the rest of the way will only slow down our overall progress and I don't want that. And besides, I've been thinking about what I'm turning into…"

"I don't like where you're going with this," Bill interrupts firmly, his voice low. "It's not going to happen."

"Please, Bill. I have no idea how batshit insane I'll be as a Witch. None of you do, either." I reach out with a shaky hand to grip the wall, struggling to pull my aching, bent over body to its feet. "I'm in pain. I'm scared. I don't want to be anywhere near you guys when I wake up. Imagine how much pain I'll probably be in when I'm a sobbing killer with knives for fingers? Imagine how scared I may be, and you know what that means, don't you? Witches lash out, Bill."

"You're not like them." He shakes his head, gripping his beard.

"Fluffy lashed out at me once."

Bill suddenly grows still, his eyes widening a fraction.

"It was Shrieker's doing, true. But it was still Fluffy's overwhelming emotions. She's a Witch. It's instinctive, like how dogs wag their tails or cats groom themselves. It's just something they do to survive, their way of expressing themselves." I touch the deep claw wounds in the one half of my face, now burning with my salty tears. "Fluffy's sweet and affectionate. She never meant it, not truly. But the point is it happened anyway and there's no reason I'll be any different. If you keep me close to you, Bill, I promise you… I will hurt you. Those screaming, drooling bastards outside could set me off. I'm a ticking time bomb, and that's only assuming I wake up sentient enough to tag along with you guys."

The group remains silent, unmoving, tense.

"I just love you guys too much." I slowly reach out to touch Louis' smooth scalp, caressing it softly. "I would never want to harm any of you, but I'm a Hive Infected, the worst kind. I'm born into a terrible system where I'll probably be manipulated much the same way Fluffy was. Maybe I'll be relatively sentient like Hunter, but he's still a slave, a pawn. He's willingly allowing himself to be manipulated, despite my efforts to change him. I don't want you around if I become like that."

"I see." Bill clears his throat softly, evidently uncomfortable. "You have thought this through."

I turn to face him, nodding stiffly. "I have."

"There's the small chance you end up like me," Josh interjects hopefully. "Able to think for yourself, able to make friends with Infected and Human alike. Your Fluffy could, and so did Crawler. And the Queen has grown weaker, so maybe you will become a Defect like us."

"That's just it, Josh. 'Maybe' isn't good enough." I look at each of their distraught faces, my pain, physical and emotional, simply escalating. "I'm a Witch, guys. Face it. I'm turning into a temperamental, perhaps even homicidal animal. I just don't want you to see me like that, alright? Fluffy only changed because she took the risk, took me in and dared to love me. But I can't do that. I won't risk any of your lives just to stick around like some pet. She's dead because of me and I'll rather remain alone than take the gamble."

"So, what will you do?" Josh asks softly, wringing his severed tongue. "Stay here? That's the only way the Queen can reach you. But if you leave with us, we could-"

"Separate later on, when we're back in the city? It's a nice thought, but I'm gonna drop any second now and terrible shit will start happening inside of me. There's no time, and I won't let you see me like that." I sigh, my left shoulder tightening painfully of its own accord. "Look at me, I'm so twisted up I could unscrew a cork. Boys, you need to leave now, while I'm still me, Zoey. That way there'll be no risks. If I can, I'll go out into the city on my own, or hide myself away somewhere the Hive bastards hopefully won't find me. But no matter what happens, you probably won't see me again from now on. This is, I'm afraid, goodbye."

"But we'll miss you," Francis replies in a vulnerable, uncharacteristic sort of way, stepping forward and, amusingly, a little off target. "I get what you're saying and everything, but do we really have to split up? I kinda don't hate you, if that means anything…"

I chuckle, leaning over to kiss his cheek, making him stiffen in surprise. "I kinda don't hate you too, Francis. And I'm going to miss you so much. For as long as I can, I'll be thinking about each and every one of you."

He sighs, pulling me into an unusually gentle bear hug. "I'll try not to kill any more Witches from now on, okay? Maybe I'll find you one day and we can share sugar cubes."

"That sounds nice." I sink into his strong arms and allow the embrace to continue for another moment before breaking free and turning my attention to Louis. "Watch over Francis for me, okay? Remind him to be careful when offering sugar cubes to strange Witches."

"I will." He smiles in his normal, gentlemanly fashion, taking my face delicately between his palms to kiss my forehead. "I think the Witches will grow weary of him after word spreads. They'll be safe."

"Do I get a hug also?" Josh seems to smile, a small wisp of green gas puffing from his nostrils. "Or a kiss?"

"Both." I wrap my claws around his tall, gawky frame and press my lips over his nose, earning a low, happy wheeze. "Watch over these humans for me. You know how they are. Utterly defenceless."

"Doll, I'll do you proud." He seems to wink, but as his one eye remains hidden behind a swollen boil, it could simply be a well timed blink. "Take good care of yourself. Nobody screws with Witches, so you're a bit lucky in that respect. Guys like Jockeys get shoved around all the time. Although, you can probably tell why..."

"Zoey."

I glance back at Bill, his eyes downcast. "Yes, honey. I know you're not happy about this. But it's just better this way."

He grumbles something irritably to himself and shakes his head, folding his arms stiffly.

I limp toward him, ignoring the peculiar loss of sensation in my left arm. "You know this is how it's gotta happen. We're not going to argue about this. I'm doing the noble, hero thing. Can't you just trust me and accept it?"

"It's not easy when you love the hero," he mutters, huffing loudly. "But I'll do whatever you ask."

"That's what a lady loves to hear." I reach over and slowly snake my arms around his neck, my skin pale and stretched taut over the muscles underneath. "You've been a great role model to us all, Bill. A fantastic leader, a kind human being and a loyal friend. You may be a little grizzly, but it's all part of your badass charm. I love it." I lean in until our noses touch and our eyes meet, sharing with him a slow, deep breath. "And I'm going to miss it terribly."

"Thank you," he murmurs somewhat shyly, his anger diminishing. "What are we going to do without you, kid? You're our glue. You hold us together."

"Remember that I don't want to leave you guys, but I have to. It's not really negotiable. And you boys are strong, individually and as a whole. You don't need me." I nuzzle his rough face, hiding the throbbing ache in my ribs behind a weak smile. "I just add that special something women just do. But you'll have to survive without that for a while. Hey, you might meet a sassy army chick on your travels, or maybe Crawler will wander back into the group. Who knows?"

"I would like to see her again." He nods, pulling back slightly to look me over, his eyes soft. "But if you're sane and emotionally stable, promise you'll come looking for us, alright? If there's any chance of getting you back, I'll take it. I'll always be looking out for you."

I swallow, turning away as another tear descends my cheek. "I can't promise anything, but if there is that tiny chance, I'll try to find some way back to you. All of you."

Before he can say more, I collapse.

Sitting on my hands and knees, I feel my stomach twist up inside, hot, bitter fluid rising to the surface to spew past my lips, pooling beneath me. _Gaah! Is that my… blood?_

"Shit! Zoey?"

"Go. Josh will lead you out of here. Get to the safe house."

"But you're-"

"Please, Bill. J-just go."

He sighs, standing still for a moment before blindly grasping onto Francis and Louis. "Alright. Goodbye, Zoey."

"Bye, Bill." I slowly lower myself onto the ground, placing my cheek on the wet, hard stone as my strength leaves me. "I'm so s-sorry…"

I listen as they clumsily tramp away, their boots dragging lethargically over the moist ground. They call out soft farewells and meaningful goodlucks. They say they'll miss me and how much they wish everything could turn out differently.

Eventually their footfalls grow silent.

I'm utterly alone now.

My back twists roughly, throwing me onto my side. I struggle to keep in my scream as something inside me snaps, my claws digging into my ribs as I hold myself for comfort.

I don't want this. I never wanted to turn into a monster. I never imagined the Infection could even touch me. After all, I was 'immune'. I was a Survivor.

Many minutes pass, and my agony simply grows worse.

I'm a mess. Vomiting up what little of my energy I have left, bucking and jerking on the ground as if having a traumatic nightmare, my muscles screaming for release.

A mess.

"Ooh! What have we found here, Sparrow? How interesting."

I snarl, baring my teeth at whomever the intruder might be, my eyes glued shut.

"You're a human. Wait! No, not quite. A little something else. Ah, yes… Witch."

Something sharp rakes against my vulnerable back.

"How interesting. What's that, Sparrow? Is this what you wanted me to see? You… you want me to mount her?"

I stiffen with panic.

"No? No mount? But she'd look so good on my wall! Like a pretty picture of pain and suffering…"

Oh. So that's what he meant by 'mount'. Thank goodness.

Wait… on his wall?

I shiver, my body suddenly growing cold and limp. I can't move. I'm about to be impaled on some dude's wall and I'm like a boiled noodle.

"Yes, you're right. She is different. We shall bring her back and investigate."

I feel myself suddenly scooped off the floor into thin, sturdy arms, some strange smell wafting up my nostrils that leaves me feeling oddly relaxed.

"Yes. I think you will provide very interesting conversation. But you must sleep now."

I feel the stranger blow into my face, the cool air rushing into my gasping lungs, my mind slowly lapsing away into meaningless nothing. It feels wonderful.

"Night, little Witch."

* * *

"You thought you could stop Hunter, eh?"

I snigger, swaying precariously as I stumble in the direction of the Sanctuary, holding my bloody cheek and stomach.

You thought wrong.

I pause once I reach the iron gate, the guarding Infected posted on either side bowing their heads toward me respectfully before stepping aside and allowing me to pass, the gate opening with a loud, metallic creak.

I must speak with the Queen. She will be furious to hear Zoey has escaped, but I must do my duty.

"My love?" I call softly, meekly entering the dark, massive chamber. "May I speak with you? It is urgent."

"Hello, Hunter," my Queen replies dully, a pair of crimson eyes fluttering open in the black shadows. "What is so important that you must disturb my rest? Shouldn't you be with your pet? She is quite stunning."

"Uh…" I swallow, cold beads of sweat dampening my forehead. "It's about her, actually…"

"And?"

"She's…"

"Speak up, Hunter."

"Escaped."

My Witch makes a soft gagging sound. "She has _what?_"

"She requested I take her for a… walk." I wince, lowering my gaze. "She wanted to see her friends one last time before she became part of the Hive. I felt it was only fair and kind to allow her the luxury."

My Queen remains silent, but her fury radiates off her like heat, turning the once icy chamber into a furnace.

"She attacked me, and as I managed to subdue her, a Defect came to her assistance and together they managed to get away. It was the Smoker." I sigh, lowering myself onto my knees. "I humbly ask for your forgiveness, my love. It was my weakness. I should never have let her out."

"You gave her the drugs, didn't you?" my Queen asks tersely, the sound of her massive form shifting as it scrapes over stone. "I had been saving those."

"I'm sorry." I press my forehead lightly against the floor in a low bow. "Please, have mercy on me. It was a mistake and I promise you I shall never slip up again."

"You stupid fool," she hisses angrily, her voice lowered. "I need that girl."

I look up at my Queen and manage a small, obedient nod, trembling fearfully. "We could retrieve her. She may be with the humans, but that is no problem for the Hive. We could-"

"Silence!" my Queen roars before planting a clawed hand forcefully into the ground in the place I had only moments before occupied, allowing me only a split second to jump aside and scamper toward the gate. "Get out of my sight!"

As I stumble away, a large procession passes. Mole, leading his brethren proudly, a struggling Shrieker held tightly in his arms and in the centre of the mob, a tall, pale figure with white hair and black claws.

I stop to watch them pass with dumb shock and disbelief. "The… Witch?"

"My Queen!" Mole bellows happily, blindly but successfully filing into the room with the others. "I found her! Here is your Witch! Oh, and I also stumbled upon Shrieker who, might I add, was trying yet again to disobey your orders and assassinate your Witch!"

I grip my face and whimper, my chest seeming to explode with panic.

She's been caught! I knew this would happen!

What am I going to do now…?


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_Dude_. How long has it been since my last update? No! Don't answer that! I'm already annoyed with myself enough as it is. So let's make this A/N short so we can get on with the story already, because you sweethearts have been kept waiting long enough. Once again, I'm sorry. Here; feel free to hit me with this Wooden Plank of Shame while we progress.

*You receive 1x WOODEN PLANK OF SHAME (lvl6)*

As you know, OC's are always welcome, but please send them to me through PM's in the future and not in reviews. I know I said it was okay, but my awesome Beta reminded me that, well, it's kinda against the rules, which is stupid, because reviews are permanent and that makes them really convenient for this purpose, but messages get deleted by the site after a certain length of time. Meh, rules are rules.

Now, let's get this thing started! Enjoy, everybody.

* * *

"Smell the blood, my Queen? Smell it gushing from brutal wounds? I may be blind of eyes, my friends, but even I can see the truth behind these injuries, and it is blatantly clear. These are marks of self defence on multiple counts! A victim evading her attackers!"

Low murmurs, wide red eyes. Everybody staring.

"This poor creature was only protecting herself. How can we punish her for something so basic, so necessary?"

A claw strokes my head and I try to dodge it, but the sheer size of the paw itself makes it unavoidable. So I quietly accept the petting with annoyance, glancing around at the crowd to read their expressions. I don't like it here, not one little bit.

"Have mercy, good Infected of the Hive. If not for me, then at the very least for the Witch. Does she look like some mindless, murderous beast, as Shrieker would make you believe?"

Like an exhibit, I kneel within the centre of the Sanctuary and bow my head before the multitude of watching eyes, trembling as my numb shoulder wound continues to weep down my chest, warm blood pooling around my knees. My head's starting to feel funny.

"Like myself, this Witch was targeted by a dangerous master manipulator, a liar who had us all fooled by her act. Don't agree? Look at me! I still ache from the attack, and now I implore you all to see reason. Can you possibly take the Shrieker's side after all the Witch and I have endured? Shrieker must be stopped, or you'll all be next!"

A growl, some gasps, an angered outcry. They rise up and turn to each other, sharing their anger with one another, and I sense Shrieker's fear. They're turning against her.

I'm not sure if I should be happy about this. I just feel so weak, so tired, so hungry. Where _is_ Shrieker? She's been very quiet, which for her is strange. From the very beginning.

And then I spot her, a tiny white figure in a dark corner, her shoulders slumped and her bright eyes downcast to stare mournfully at the dead Seeker lying dormant at her feet. It makes me sad.

"She will kill all who seem to be of a threat, and she'll even kill those she simply cannot stand! Why should we keep a ticking time bomb in such a powerful position? Don't any of you see the trap we'd all walk straight into! Seeker would not have died if his Shrieker hadn't been so power-hungry and determined, and if she's willing to sacrifice the one most loyal to her for her own selfish gain, a goal which ultimately leads to the death of an innocent servant of the Hive…"

Mole's voice stops, and it seems so quiet now, so weird without him preaching. It's almost a thoughtful pause, one for deep deliberation, one of suggestion and clever acting.

"But I have said enough. Let our Witch tell her tale…"

I jerk with surprise, and the hideous Infected merely pats me on the head in response.

"Go on, Witch. Prove your innocence. We are all listening."

I look up meekly, straight into the eyes of the Queen. I wonder how long she's been staring at me.

Her face seems unchanged from the moment I stepped in here; intense, perhaps even angry. It's hard to tell with her most of the time.

"Go on, Witch. Speak."

I glance at Mole, who looks very nervous indeed. He's counting on me, so I suppose I don't have any choice. It would be unfair is I didn't say anything. But I just don't know. Talking…

Some Infected clears his throat, reminding me that I'm wasting their time with my silence.

Shivering all over, I slowly stand up and look at all the faces that surround me. My heart is pounding, and I take in a small breath to calm myself.

I know how to do it. It's not that hard.

But it is. I'm sore. I don't want to. I wanna go home.

But Zoey will be so happy to see me. Think of that.

Zoey.

"I didn't want to…"

Everybody seems to move closer, and it turn, I step back.

"I didn't want to fight," I continue softly, wincing at the shy, small sound of my voice. "I didn't. But I had to. Zoey, she… she needs me. And I need Zoey."

The Infected seem to stir a little after that. They look confused, like they don't understand.

"She's my friend," I try to explain, my tongue struggling a little with the words. "I just wanted her back, and I never meant to hurt anyone. But they hurt me when they took away my Zoey, and so I hurt them back. I had to. Didn't want to, but I had to, because Zoey is my friend."

My Queen's red eyes narrow ever so slightly.

I tilt my head to think about what I'm going to say next, and after a moment, I decide that it should be simple and honest. "Friends are important. They make you happy, and they take care of you. So when I lost my best friend Zoey, I had to get her back, because without her, I'm not happy. She makes me happy."

The onlookers seem perplexed by this, sharing stunned glances amongst themselves.

"And she's here, so here I've come. Shrieker didn't want me to, but I did anyway, and I hurt Seeker because he tried to stop me. I had to. I'm sorry about it, because I know he was Shrieker's best friend, and I know what I did was bad, but I love my Zoey, and they stood between us." I stand tall and push out my chest, braving a look right in the Queen's eye. "I did what I had to. No more, no less. I am a good Witch."

She frowns deeply, hanging back for a few moments before slowly leaning forward, bringing her huge, hideous face closer until it's level with mine and our noses touch.

I bite my lip, but refuse to break contact with her eyes. I must be brave. She's testing me, looking inside me somehow, and I will not turn and run. Not now. Not when I'm so close to Zoey.

She continues to stare into my eyes like this for a long time, delving deep into them, into my head. She fishes around, searching through all that she can reach until she finally seems satisfied, pulling back and closing her eyes with a soft sigh. "I have made my decision."

We all grow tense, waiting with eager silence.

"Butcher."

At the sound of the all too familiar name, Shrieker and I exchange a horrified glance. For once we are in agreement. This is extreme.

"My Queen," a low, guttural rumble in the dark answers, and we all turn to watch with wide eyes as a massive, hulking beast slowly drags its mouldy carcass into the light, a great cleaver scraping noisily over the stone ground as it dangles from a powerful hand.

My mouth runs dry. This is very, very bad.

The Butcher bows his head, jabbing the blunt end of his gigantic cleaver into the stone at his feet to casually lean against it like a crutch, his smile ripped in half by a bloody open wound in his cheek that never healed. "How may I serve?"

She gives him a single nod, and he seems to understand her instantly.

"Torture, my dove. Only the most severe will do." With an easy movement, he runs his meaty finger over the edge of his blade, pushing out his wormlike tongue to lick the remnants of past kills from his flesh as he raises his finger to his lips, his eyes hidden behind green glass that reflects every face in the room. "I am ready to deliver your justice."

"Fine. But keep her alive. She might prove useful later on, when the rebellious filth has been bled out of her."

"Understood, my Queen. Who is my ward?"

She hesitates for a moment, her face expressing some kind of pain. She looks from me, to Shrieker, and back again, until finally turning her face away and mumbling under her breath, "_Shrieker_."

My stomach sinks, and I barely get the chance to exclaim my surprise before Butcher reaches forward and plucks the tiny girl off her feet, her scream bringing me to my knees.

"No!" Shrieker, her eyes bulging with fear, tries to squirm and claw her way out his massive hand, reaching out to her fallen Seeker for aid. "Please! No, no, NO!"

Unexpectedly, the Queen speaks, her voice low and strangely calm. "Take her away."

Butcher almost seems to chuckle, although it could have easily been a snarl, turning to stomp his way out of site with the child still screaming, trapped in his grasp.

And like that, it is done.

Finally Shrieker's voice dies down and I stumble to my feet, my head swirling. "Sh-Shrieker?"

"Witch," the Queen says coldly and clearly, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual, "you are welcomed back into the Hive as my Second in Shrieker's place. Mole, you shall take over Hunter's position as my third. Congratulations. Leave me now."

"But Zoey…"

The Queen doesn't seem to hear me, too busy rubbing at her eyes.

"I want my Zoey now." I repeat louder, squeaking in alarm when she unexpectedly lunges for me, stopping just in time before ripping out my throat, her talons trembling as they suspend themselves inches from the flesh of my neck.

"You will only see her when I see fit," the beastly Queen hisses through her bared teeth, her eyes wide and maddened, glistening with tears. "Until your loyalty to me has been proven, you shall just have to wait. Now go!"

I don't complain, and with what little strength I have left, I turn and dash outside, frightened and angry at the same time.

Mole clumsily tries to follow me, sniffing this way and that, pausing occasionally as he feels the vibrations of my movements beneath his paws, guiding him toward the corner I have chosen as a place to hide myself. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"Go away," I manage to mumble, pressing my forehead to the wall. I'm so frustrated.

With a gentle movement, he blindly pets me. "Why are you upset? We won."

"You promised!" I roar, grabbing him by his shoulders and shoving him against the wall in my place, pressing his lumpy form tightly against mine. "You said I would get my Zoey back if I helped you! Liar! She's still gone and I want her back now, now, now!"

"B-but you will get her back! You've just got to have patience!" He struggles under my claws, whimpering. "P-please! We should be celebrating! Come, W-Witch, why don't we go and have something nice to eat? You look half s-starved!"

I bare my teeth and slip a claw under his chin, nicking the tough skin. "Where is she?"

"What?" He stops struggling, tilting his head back in an attempt to avoid losing his lower jaw. "I don't-"

"Where is my Zoey?" I tighten my grip, cutting his tough hide all over. "I am not going to wait. I will find her and take her whether the Queen likes it or not. I'm tired of waiting. Where are they keeping her?"

"Don't! If the Queen hears-" He gurgles when I sink my claw into his throat. "Okay, okay! Hunter's chamber! He was the one who-"

I hiss and let the pudgy Infected go, leaving him behind as I charge down the passageway, knocking aside all who get in my way.

None of them dare try and stop me. My authority here still stands, and obediently they jump aside and bow, as if nothing had ever changed.

I run on and on until I reach the right door and throw it open, Zoey's sweet human scent assaulting my flared nostrils as I plunge into Hunter's bed and pull aside the sheets in desperate search.

"She's not here."

I snarl, turning to face Hunter as he sits on the floor with his back pressed in a corner. "Where is my Zoey?"

He scoffs, holding onto his bloody stomach and gazing slyly at me from beneath his dark hood. "You're even more determined than I was. But you're too late. She's already changing, probably become a full-fledged Infected by now. You failed, Witch. But it's nice to see you're not too tame to talk, human _pet_."

"I don't care what she is. Where did she go?"

"To the holding cells to free her friends. I have no idea where they went off to after that. I bet she's ripped them all to shreds by now."

I shake my head, my thoughts confused. Zoey. I must find her.

Hunter laughs, his voice low and weak. "She's a Witch now, and we all know that two Witches just can't coexist peacefully. What do you plan to do when you find her? She'll rip you to pieces before you even-"

I don't stay to listen, leaving him to his stupid rambling as I rush out his room and back down the winding maze of tunnels.

I will not stop, not until I find her. And if she doesn't recognise me, that's okay. I'll do something. Say something. Make her remember.

Somehow.

* * *

"Well, that's a big hole."

Standing in a circle around the very edges of the great pit, Alec and I share a concerned look.

"You think she's down there?" the blonde asks me, her voice soft.

"Maybe." I shrug, stroking my holstered gun. "But I'm telling you this much, kid. Nobody's going down there to look."

"Damn right," Matthew mutters gruffly. "Stinks like rotting corpses down there."

Alec sighs, looking greatly disheartened. "The poor thing must be so confused. Can't I just-?"

"No." I shake my head sternly, squeezing her shoulder. "You are not going down there. I'm sorry, but I've lost enough people already. She's gone."

"I smell lots of Infected," Sam says, scampering around the mess of debris like an excited dog hunting for rabbits. "Them stinky ground dwellin' ones. Remember 'em, Brain?"

"Moles." Brain shivers visibly. "Filthy beasts. They must've ambushed her."

"And dragged her down the creepy hole?" The Hunter whimpers, craning his neck over the edge to look into its depths. "Poor Witchy…"

"What I wanna know is how they made a big fucking hole in the ground so damn quickly. Boom, and hey, presto! And then they all got away before I could ask, and then shoot them! Bastards!" Matthew makes a soft, irritated 'humph' sound, placing a hand on his hip. "Heh, no matter. Maybe the zombies have explosives or whatever and are doing some excavating. Can we go back now?"

"Actually, they dig their way around, Matthew, and when they sense vibrations above ground, they force themselves out in a spectacular fashion!" Brain explains, only to receive a ferocious glare from the mercenary. "Well, excuse me for being correct!"

"And lookie here! Witchy blood!" Sam sniffs at a red splatter on the edge of the pit, his rear end wagging like a dog's tail. "Ghosty, does your blood smell like Witchy blood, too? Kinda sweet and sugary-like?"

The tall, slender figure drifts forward with the grace of a dancer on her bare feet, her maroon eyes glazed and constantly in motion. "Ghost is not Witch. This is a common misconception."

He frowns up at her. "Huh?"

She, in turn, looks equally confused. "Did you say something?"

"MAYBE THE WITCH DIDN'T FALL IN?" booms a thunderous voice from behind the group, causing us all to cover our ears and glare at the massive brute responsible. "WHAT?"

"Keeper, indoor voice," Ghost reminds him in her soft, serene manner, smiling sweetly at no one in particular.

"Sorry," he grumbles behind his blood splattered hockey mask, his green eyes gentle and apologetic despite his fearsome girth and appearance. "I forgot again."

"Great." Matthew rubs his temples and groans. "Why do we keep these idiots around?"

"But maybe he's right." Alec beams and points to the far side of the pit, beyond its edge. "Look! Hair!"

I squint at the coil of white that lies partially submerged in a puddle of ooze. "You have really good eyes, kid."

"She must have gotten across somehow, or avoided the Moles' ambush and ended up on the other side. Then she must've fled down the tunnel," Brain observes, scratching his chin. "But with her injuries, it's highly improbable she's still ali-"

Alec narrows her eyes at him.

"Why is everybody on my case today?"

"Can we go looksie?" Sam beams excitedly, bounding up to my side. "I wanna go on a Witchy hunt and make Moles dead! Can we? Please, boss-lady, can we?"

"Uh…"

Alec looks at me with determination. "Well, whether you like it or not, Bullet, I'm going. If she's still alive, it's my duty to help, because she's still my patient."

I feel a little defeated, my shoulders sagging. "It's dangerous, Alec, and anyway, who'll take care of your other patient back at the camp?"

Now she looks defeated, her brows rising into her hairline. "Oh, right! Poor thing will be awake soon…"

"I'll stay."

We all turn to stare at sullen Matthew with obvious surprise.

"What?" He rolls his bright eyes and scoffs, shrugging his big shoulders. "I'm not interested in gallivanting around in search of some Witch. I think I'll take my chances with the still incapacitated zombie lady instead, thank you."

"That's really nice of you," Alec manages, her green eyes softening. "Thanks, Matt."

"You guys just try to NOT get your asses kicked without me." He smirks, turning on his heels to march away, his firm bum swaying. "Good luck with that lot, Bullet. My thoughts will be with you. Toodles!"

I watch him leave with a slack jaw, feeling utterly lost. "But… I didn't volunteer for this…"

"I can do this without you." Alec nods toward Matthew. "If you want to stay with your boyfriend, that is."

"Let's just get this job done," I mutter irritably, pushing past her as I begin to carefully make my way around the cavernous hole. "My soup will be cold by the time we get back." _This Witch better be alive._

I was really looking forward to that soup.

* * *

I open my eyes wide, air rushing into my lungs with a shuddering gasp.

Awake.

Pain.

Cold.

Confused.

I sit up slowly and blink back the fuzz, my panting lungs desperately grasping for more air. _Can't… can't breathe…_

But then everything settles down, and I grow calm.

My head feels like it's working something out, small, fragmented thoughts swirling around and slowly piecing themselves together. I finally form one coherent question, and it seems just right. _Where am I?_

I move my arm, and it feels long, like there's something new that extends from it, something hard that scrapes as my fingers rake across the ground.

I slowly raise my hand before my face, studying the long claws I don't recall ever owning. Long, black and gnarled, they sprout from my grey fingers like the branches of a hellish tree, razor sharp and solid. Black veins spread over my hands and down the length of my arm, vanishing beneath my torn sleeve. My flesh is pale grey, like something dead.

I flex my claws one by one, and they feel familiar, and yet strange somehow. They're a part of me, I realise, just like my arms and legs, and the curtain of dark hair that falls forward to shield my face.

Everything seems so alien, and yet so old and used.

Instinctively, I sniff the air, thousands of different scents assaulting my sensitive nostrils at once. My stomach rumbles for food. I know I must find something to eat, and the air will tell me where I may find some food.

I smell rotting meat, stagnant blood, and something sweeter, a pleasant aroma that hangs in the air like a canvas. Carefully I push myself to my feet, my aching body a little unsteady. Standing at my full height, I turn my head toward the strongest scent and walk after it, following the invisible trail. Soon I come across the source, and it repulses me.

The corpse of a dead, furry creature lies spread out at my feet, its eyes wide and unseeing. It's small, its neck has been snapped, and something long and sharp pierces through its gut, pinning it to the floor.

I realise now that this place is full of such corpses, pinned to the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. My instincts begin to scream at me and I sense the presence of something alive, watching me in the shadows. _Danger…_

"Ah, you're awake."

I stiffen, slowly turning toward the voice. "Who's there?" I ask in a low, gravelly growl.

"It's alright, Witch. I'm a friend."

I hiss softly at the strange creature that approaches me. "Stay away."

His eyes are bright, shimmering orange balls in his gaunt, grey skull, and his hair is black and oily, crudely cut back. "Don't be afraid. You're safe here."

I snarl and lunge at him, sending him back several feet as he narrowly dodges my wide, deadly swing. "Get away!"

"I'm sorry!" he exclaims, cowering in a corner with his hands raised. "That was too sudden, I shouldn't have approached you so soon. I'm so very sorry."

I stare at his hands, studying the claws he sports, claws that vaguely resemble my own. "You are like me."

He looks up, smiling uncomfortably. "Yes, in a way. We're both Infected, yes, and I am mildly related to your strain."

I growl softly, sitting myself down before him. There's a lot of distance between us, and despite my curiosity, I plan to keep it that way. "Where am I?"

"In my lair. I eat and live here."

"These corpses?"

"Yes."

"Then why are they hanging on the walls and not in your belly?"

He chuckles, wiping his chapped lips on his arm. "It's art! Don't you see? The complexity of their forms, put on display for all to admire!"

I look around, but it makes no sense to me.

"Do you know your name, Witch?"

I slowly shake my head.

"It's alright. I only learnt mine with time. I am Dillon. They call me Sculptor."

I sniff the air around him warily, and the sweet scent radiates off him like a cloud. "You smell good."

"It is my gas. I use it to sedate my prey. You've been exposed to it so long, I suspect it won't do much more to you than make you a little drowsy." He coughs and wheezes, green smoke spurting from his mouth and nostrils. "Gives me a bit of chest ache, but that's just the way the Infection goes."

I stare long and hard at the strange man, green gas seeping from his mouth and skin. "What am I doing here?"

"I brought you here."

"Why? I don't understand."

"Sparrow led me to you and told me you were important."

"Sparrow? What is a 'Sparrow'?"

"My friend. She's right here." He points to his empty shoulder, smiling. "See? A pretty little bird."

"There's nothing there," I reply flatly.

"Yes, there is. That's Sparrow."

"The air? You're crazy."

He simply laughs and holds out of his hands. "Hear that, Sparrow? This Witch is funny! Not like the last one. That one was really quite dull and unreasonable. Didn't appreciate my art, couldn't keep up her end of a conversation, struggled so much when I tried to-"

"I'm hungry."

"You should be! Have a look around. Please, don't be shy, I have plenty here and I don't mind sharing with such a curious guest."

For a moment I wonder what he means, but then my gaze wanders back to the walls of this place, walls adorned with hanging corpses impaled by their arms, legs or chests, and I remember. "I'm supposed to eat those? They look so… like us."

"We Infected generally eat humans or animal flesh, but animals are rare. Besides, I just can't stomach the thought of using animals beyond art, and humans are equally hard to come by and far harder to kill, with all their guns and tough armour. I even tried the ferals, but they are so tough and stale, hardly any flavour, and they're utterly _boring_." Dillon jumps to his feet, waving around at all the dead beings with pride, grinning broadly. "So, I choose to prey on the more abundant and tasty option, the unique breeds of our kind."

"You're a cannibal."

"So are you, if you become desperate enough."

I flinch, slowly pushing myself to my feet and readying myself to leave. "Thank you for the offer, Dillon, but I crave something sweeter and less… bloody."

"Alright." He shrugs his thin shoulders, his suit and tie coloured dark by the splattered stains of old blood and filth. "I'm not completely surprised. I have observed your type gathering in great numbers near the sugar mills, feeding upon the cane, simply ripping it out the earth and biting into it like I would bite into a thigh bone. It is the one instance where I have seen Witches tolerate each other in large numbers, truly strange. Quite a spectacle, really, all those Witches feeding together. You creatures are so wraithlike and stunning to watch."

"Sugar." I lick my lips. "You know where I may find some?"

"I have a packet somewhere. Found it on a human I caught not too long ago, they also like the stuff. Can't stand it myself." He slowly makes his way past me, moving carefully and with evident caution, to bend down and rummage around in a pile of various strange things he seems to have gathered and accumulated over a long period of time. "Ah, here it is. Sugar cubes."

I sniff hungrily, the oddly appealing scent driving me forward without fear.

Dillon seems a little uncomfortable with my sudden increase in courage and proximity, and he remains perfectly motionless as my claws extend to carefully take the packet from him.

Handling my treasure delicately, I give him an appreciative smile and tear it open, reaching inside to pluck out a little white square which I place gently between my teeth before biting down, the sweet, crumbling mess dissolving pleasantly on my tongue. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Witch." He looks quite chuffed with his efforts, and I don't mind it when he places a clawed hand on my shoulder. "You're the first civilised Witch I've ever met. Sparrow was right about you. Perhaps she wants us to be friends too, hmm?"

I don't pay much attention. I'm too busy calming the growling beast in my stomach.

* * *

"You know this is a really bad idea. Seriously, Josh, what are you thinking, coming back down here? You only just got out!"

I wring my shredded tongue and groan, sulkily retracing my steps down the murky hellhole I had finally escaped. "Stupid fool. The things you'll do for a hot girl."

I'm going back. Back to rescue that Zoey kid. Back into the nightmare I thought I could finally leave behind.

"She probably won't even recognise me. Probably will rip my head off when I finally find her. And how am I gonna get her back to the others then, huh? They think I'm just out looking for supplies, not looking for a freaking Witch! This whole plan is crazy and stupid. Zoey said so herself! 'I'm gonna be a badass Infected Witch-babe, so you guys must escape to the surface! Oh, no, don't worry about leaving me behind, I'm being all heroic! And if you come back to get me, I probably will turn into a screaming she-zombie and decapitate you anyways, so you better get your asses moving while you still can.' Yeah. I didn't think this through."

I recognise this section of tunnel, and I can smell the girl's scent on the walls. She's getting close. "Zoey? Hello?"

No answer.

Finally, I reach the spot she had fallen, her blood pattering softly beneath my boots. "Oh, fuck."

There is no Zoey here.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I wring my tongue more tightly and begin to pace back and forth in a panic. "She must've woken up without me! I'm too late! That darned Bill and all his fussing, took so much time. And then the darned human started crying and wouldn't shut up and… argh!"

And then it dawns on me, with a terrible wave of dread and frustration.

"I'm gonna have to go look for her." I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck with my single surviving hand. "Okay, let's think. She's awake, happens to be a Witch, and she's wandering around in an Infected stronghold that's run by the Hive, who happen to be my enemy because I'm friends with the humans. I'm dead, so very, very dead."

Shit.

* * *

"It seems I cannot trust anyone these days."

Red eyes gaze fondly up at me, my children hidden and safe in my many limbs and coils.

"Babies, Mommy is so tired." I sigh, enjoying the feel of dozens of claws and tongues lovingly brushing against my bulk, soothing my boiling temper. "Hunter failed me, Shrieker lied to me for so long, and my only Witch doesn't wish to serve me. What have I done wrong?"

This is strange. My control over the Infected is beginning to wane, and I'm not certain why.

"I need those drugs. But the lab was destroyed long ago. I made sure of it." I sigh and lean back. "I wasn't in my right state of mind back then. Now that my head is clear, I realise what a stupid mistake I made. And with my ever-growing size, I'm not sure I can ever leave these sewers, and certainly not without injuring myself in the process. I'm trapped."

But there must be a way.

"I'm starving down here. They just can't bring me enough food to keep me sustained. I don't know what I'm going to do."

But I could always…

"Runner!"

The small creature scurries up to me. I always keep a Runner nearby, for in my growing weakness, they are my only means of contacting anything beyond these walls. "My Queen?"

"Come here."

He meekly obeys, allowing me to scoop him into my talons.

"Close your eyes," I gently command, raising him to my lips. "Don't be afraid. Close them."

The moment he does, his head vanishes in my jaws.

I bite down with a sickening crunch, and he grows limp in my arms. I then swallow his head whole and pause for a moment before continuing to devour the rest of him, easily chewing through his ribs to lap at the soft warmth of his innards, his blood sweetly intoxicating.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

* * *

Alright, summary time!

Mole and Fluffy beat Shrieker in court, but now she's been detained by the cruel and mysterious monster known as Butcher and Fluffy, in an act of desperation, has gone out to search for Zoey by herself.

Zoey, meanwhile, has woken up as a Witch, and in the care of a strange Infected known as Dillon, or the Sculptor. After a tense start, they've made friends, and what happens to them next is currently unknown.

The 'Tribe' (Alec and company), having realised that Mole's cronies are responsible for Fluffy's disappearance, are now on a mission to find their pale friend, without Matthew's skills and experience to help them. However, they've got the aid of the odd character Ghost and brutish Keeper, and Alec's determination, to carry them through. But what will happen? And what about Matthew and Crawler? Will they get along or literally murder each other, being the grumpy people they are?

Brave and chivalrous Josh has ventured back into the dark underbelly of the city in a quest to find Zoey, only to find her… gone. Now he must return to the place he despised most and risk facing the might of the Hive and a temperamental Witch to get her back to the boys – even if it kills him in the process. Bill and the others are just trying to get their lives back it order, completely unaware of Josh's plans. Apparently, the Smoker wanted to surprise them, and now he's bitten off more than he can chew.

The Queen has realised her own mortality, and is now resorting to Hive-cannibalism to save herself. How far will she go until she is satisfied? And who, or what, are her 'babies' that always seem to hang around?

I hope to answer these questions in the next Chapter. Until then, continue to beat me with the Plank of Shame. I'll come around.

God bless everybody!


End file.
